The Target Man @thelonestriker - Tumblr Blog

11/16/2025

It’s been a while, my friend. Funny how even the way I write dates feels foreign now. I’m so used now to introducing myself as someone born on the first of the first, 1990 — as if framing it that way helps anchor me in time. And time… well, it’s been flying. Almost a year has passed since I first set foot in Australia.

I still remember that anxious Filipino guy boarding a little Qantas plane from Sydney to Port Macquarie — clutching his shoulder bag pretending not to be terrified. I still see myself stepping out into an unfamiliar town and settling into that old, “affordable” motel on Hastings River Drive. It wasn’t much, but it was the threshold to a new life.

And from that day, everything began to shift. I learned how to live without the warmth of my family filling the house. I learned how to find comfort even when comfort wasn’t readily available. I grew — quietly, slowly, stubbornly.

I miss home. I miss my parents, my brother, the effortless ease of the life I had in the Philippines. But I think I’ve found comfort in different corners now — in resilience, in independence, in becoming someone I barely recognized a year ago.

I’m proud of myself. This isn’t an easy path. I still have episodes of anxiety, especially in social moments, but I’m doing better. I’m learning to be comfortable in my own skin, piece by piece.

I can admit it openly now: I don’t love medicine. Not in the romantic, idealistic way people expect. But it’s the work that sustains me — the engine that powers both my present and the future I’m building. I believe God placed me here for a reason: to fulfill a lifelong promise to give back to my parents, to honor the sacrifices they made so I could stand here today.

There’s one last great battle ahead — the biggest of my life. One final war before I can stop “actively” studying. It’s long, heavy, transformative. And whatever lies on the other side will shape my future, and the future of those I love.

So I pray. I pray for guidance, strength, clarity. My heart isn’t in studying right now, but just like leaving home, this is a road I’m meant to walk.

What stands in the way becomes the way.

I want to change, to grow, to rise into a better version of myself. Lord, I ask for Your help once more. Lead me through this season. Carry me if You must. I’m ready for the metamorphosis. I’m ready to transcend.

8/2/2025

Five months stand between me and the biggest battle of my life — so far. Five months until the moment everything I’ve worked for, sacrificed for, and dreamed of converges into one decisive strike.

This is the turning point of the war. The chapter where hesitation dies and purpose takes the front line. The season where the boy I was finally hands the torch to the man I’m becoming.

Five months. A countdown. A challenge. A promise.

And when the day comes, I’ll be ready.

1/8/2025

Take me back to when life was a melody, When my parents were young and I was a little boy without fear— a boy with dreams far too big for the small hands that held them.

Take me back to when nature was still gentle with man, and hearts were unguarded, simple, pure.

When toys were fewer, but emotions overflowed. When the night sky was crowded with twinkling stars, and people, somehow, were kinder.

12/11/2024

The days are coming. And I still don’t know if I’ll be spending Christmas, New Year, or even my birthday here in my homeland. The thought alone hurts. There’s a heaviness in my chest that I can’t quite shake off — the kind that makes the world feel a little dimmer, a little colder.

This might be the saddest holiday season I’ve ever had.

Soon, I’ll be leaving my comfort zone — not just stepping outside it, but tearing myself away from it. I’ll be far from my family, far from the people whose voices and laughter make everything feel bearable.

And on top of the emotional weight, I’m navigating the holidays with a negative budget — broke, uncertain, and feeling its sting in ways deeper than just financial.

But even in this moment of pain, a small part of me knows this is the beginning of something. A hard beginning, yes — but a beginning nonetheless.

12/3/2024

It’s that time of the year again — and here I am, feeling awful, scared, anxious. Everything in me knows this isn’t how it’s supposed to be. I should be preparing for the biggest war of my life, the one battle that isn’t just mine to fight. It’s for everyone who believes in me, who depends on me, who placed their hopes quietly on my shoulders.

This is my last shot at glory. My redemption arc. My turning point.

So why am I wasting time on things that don’t matter? Why am I letting fear and distraction eat away at the days I can never get back?

The time is now. Not tomorrow. Not someday. Now.

Let’s go, Karl. You’re the lone striker — the one they send in when everything’s on the line. You’re the gamble — the one who rises when the odds say you shouldn’t. You’re the trailblazer — carving a path no one else could walk for you.

You can do this. Stand up. Fight. Claim what’s yours.

10/18/2024

I went for a morning jog today. The cool breeze felt like a gentle reset, and the introvert in me appreciated sharing the park oval with just a handful of people — enough to feel alive, but not overwhelmed. It was a small, quiet joy, the kind that sneaks up on you.

But now I’m feeling sleepy, and I can’t help but wonder: why didn’t I figure out this rhythm, this kind of lifestyle, back when I first started at MLMC? Maybe life just needed to knock me around a bit before I learned what actually grounds me.

There’s so much I want to accomplish today. I’m just spilling my thoughts into this forever labyrinth of a mind… but everything feels cloudy. Like my brain’s running on low battery.

Maybe I just need a short rest — a quick nap before work. I can’t push through the whole day feeling like this. Sometimes even a determined soul needs to recharge.

10/2/2024

The days are slowly approaching. In a little over a month, I’ll be stepping into the biggest change of my life. Soon, I’ll be living without my parents’ support, paying my own bills, cooking my own meals, washing my clothes, and navigating a world far from home. I’ll be working in a place I’ve never lived in before — a place I’m still not sure I’ll fit into. And yet… these are the first real steps toward my Personal Legend.

And what exactly is my Personal Legend? Maybe it’s the dream I’ve carried since childhood — becoming a self-sufficient person, someone untouched by financial worries, someone who can finally pursue becoming a lawyer, the dream that never fully left me. Maybe it’s the desire to stand in front of students one day and teach, to give meaning and guidance in the same way life has guided me. I don’t know if that’s the true definition of my Personal Legend… but for now, it’s enough. It’s my compass.

Above all, I want to give everything to the people I love — especially my parents. I want my success to be their comfort, my progress to be their pride, my stability to be their peace.

I don’t know what the future holds. But I do know this: today marks the beginning of a new chapter — the chapter where the most exciting days of my life are just about to unfold. It will be life-changing. It will be frightening. It will push me to my limits.

But I trust God. I trust the Soul of the Universe. And I trust that everything I’m about to endure will be worth it.

Here I come.

9/15/2024

From now on, I'll start a daily task of writing:

3 things that I'm thankful about this day

3 random things in my life that I'm thankful about

3 people I'm thankful to this day

3 accomplishments this day

For today, I am thankful about

Being able to have my braces adjustment; with the news that I am already about to have them removed next month

That I have the means to be able to buy stuff from the grocery, have my car washed and being able to give a tip

That my family have been able to reach their individual destinations

I am thankful for this laptop. It's designed by genius people, giving it the speed to be able to handle different tasks such as gaming. This laptop helped me perform different tasks and was with me all throughout the entire Australian application

I am thankul this ergonomic chair. There were lots of times when it saved me from back pains. I even had times in which I slept in it or rested on it after I got home from work

My Iphone. It gives me a sense of accomplishment. It also helps me perform my everyday tasks such as connecting to different people.

I am thankful to the ate this day who served my coffee. Her music taste is nice and she assisted me well.

The security guard from the grocery. She was just doing her job. I also learned how to stand up for myself. But at the same time, realize my toxic reaction to what she did.

To the one who did my carwash. Well, he was readily available and seemed to do the cleaning very well.

For my accomplishments, I have read a book - a few chapters

I am slowly beginning to learn how to handle my emotions

I was able to have my braces adjusted for the second time and have my car washed after weeks

5/29/2024

It’s the summer of 2011, and I’m sitting there watching a K-drama — the kind that makes everything feel possible. Back then, those shows filled me with this bright, almost innocent optimism: the dream of a rich and comfortable life, a stunning model girlfriend, a sleek race car, and a modern glass house with sunlight pouring in. It was a simple formula for happiness in my younger mind… but a powerful one.

Today, I suddenly remembered my old dream board from more than a decade ago. I even remembered that blog entry I wrote right after passing the licensure exam — the one filled with pure hope and immediate aspirations. The younger version of me had no idea how hard the journey would be, but he also had no idea how much he would eventually achieve.

I wonder how many of those dreams I’ve fulfilled. Maybe not all. Maybe not most. But I’ve achieved a lot — things that younger-me would’ve clapped proudly for. And while there’s still a long road ahead, that’s okay. Everyone moves on their own timeline. Maybe… just maybe… this is finally my time.

My plan for this morning is simple: study for the PTE and book the exam for Wednesday morning. Yeah, that feels right. It feels like a move toward something bigger. I hope today becomes one of those quietly productive days that push my story forward.

And through it all, I want to grow into the best doctor my patients could ever have — because they deserve nothing less. My dreams may evolve, but that part of my purpose stays the same.

5/27/2024

This is it. I will now receive the contract that changes my life. Will I be up to the challenge? Only God will know.

This is my chance. This is my break. This is my and my family's redemption arc.

Thank you Lord for watching over me, my pains, my frustrations. Please help me become a better person in your likeness.

4/10/2024

Now, it's time. My turn.

I am forever thankful to you, our God. You're the One who knows my deepest desires. You're the One who knows what's best for me. If this is Your way for me, I accept the challenge.

It'll be the last few months with the people I love the most. I will do this not only for myself, but most specially for them. If jumping into the abyss is the way to give them the comfort in life, I'd gladly do so. If being away with them and piercing my heart would put smiles in their faces, I'll do it a thousand times.

This is my comeback. This is my redemption. Please help me, Lord. I can do everything as long as You are with me.

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me

2/20/2024

A pleasant morning.

There’s something magical about waking up early. Feeling refreshed, breathing in the cold, peaceful air — it reminds me of slow mornings with hot coffee, warm bread, and the quiet company of people you love. Mornings like these feel like little blessings.

I pray to God for success in this new application. Right now, nothing brings me greater happiness than the thought of providing for the people I love. I dream of the day I can buy Papa, Mama, Ken, and JL all the things that bring them joy. I dream of the day when money no longer dictates my choices. And when that day comes, I’ll go home — truly home — to the place my heart never left. When that day comes, distance will no longer separate me from the people who matter most.

I’m humbled by the fact that I still have so much to learn as a doctor. They say the most competent doctors are the ones who realize how much they don’t know — and I see that now. The days of thinking I “knew it all” are long gone. I’m looking forward to the time when I’ll know almost everything I need to serve my patients well.

Whether this path is perfectly right for me or not, I trust that walking it is the right step. Every journey has a point where all roads converge — and for my odyssey, this is that moment. The future I want, all the possibilities I hope for, open up once I overcome this one challenge.

I’m anxious, but I’m excited. And I know God is walking with me, so fear has no place here.

Let’s go. Fortune favors the brave.

10/24/2023

It’s a little over two months before this year ends, and soon I’ll be turning 34. The number feels heavy in a meaningful way — a reminder that the greatest responsibility of my life is approaching. I know it will be difficult. I know it will test me. But I also know it will be worth every ounce of effort and sacrifice.

I’m ready to become the trailblazer I was always meant to be — not just for myself or the people who stand beside me today, but for the generations who will come after. This move isn’t just a step forward; it’s the beginning of a ripple that will echo through time. If handled wisely, the blessings I build now could become the foundation of prosperity for my entire clan — a legacy of stability, strength, and abundance.

So much is at stake. So much rides on this moment. But I’m not facing it alone.

God, please walk with me. Guide my decisions. Strengthen my spirit. Protect me from any peril on this journey.

Here I am — willing, hopeful, and ready to rise into the person I was always destined to become.

8/24/2023

How do I forgive myself for the things I didn't become?

I ain't moving for I'm in a state of comfort. Until when?

7/28/2023

It feels very painful.

I did my best. I gave my all - every resources that I had. My time, effort, money, effort - I did love her with the way that I've always known. I was taught how to love that way - to be able to provide. I was never good with people but perhaps with providing something that could make another person happy, I felt that I was able to express my love. But I guess it isn't case. Karma - it may be. All the girls that I loved before - all of them now have a good and loving relationship. I did everything to make things work. I thought never giving up and persevering everything would finally make it a success. But I was wrong. We defied every law of relationship there is, but sometimes, doing each other's best isn't enough.

I have loved you with all my heart. You will always be the best thing I ever had. Maybe, our love isn't just compatible. I'm loving you the wrong way. You're loving me the wrong way as well. We both grew unhappy and unappreciated. I guess all good things must come to an end. You will always be my Bubu and my Lobi.

The rain outside has stopped. But it would feel like a year-long winter deep inside for sure. I have always loved the rain and the cold anyway. I deserve this for I am a despicable human being. I am not worthy to be loved. I deserve to be sad and broken. I won't ever be the best at anything.

6/19/2023

Watching successes of sons and daughters and making their parents proud has always made me so emotional. It is my ultimate dream to make my parents proud of me one last time - to fulfill all their desires and wishes. That is, they truly deserve every good thing that this world can offer.

Maybe, until I accomplish that mission, I don't deserve to fully dedicate my life for other people. I know I would regret it forever if I can't deliver that final mission for them in their lifetime. That would be an unforgivable failure on my part.

With tears falling in my eyes, I truly believe that that crowing glory will come soon. May fate permit me to be able to do that in the blink-of-an-eye lifetime. May God help me be with me in this final mission.

5/30/2023

It's the last few days of the month, before the last month of this half-year. Next month marks the start of my intense preparation for the next chapter of my life.

I shall start to sleep early once again. Do my routines as if I'm already living alone in a faraway land. I'm scared - thinking about the future. Do I really have what it takes? I mean I must learn to be a responsible guy from now on. Organize my life because time is running out.

I must be a grown up who's proud of himself. I don't know.

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

The Target Man