on the Verge of

Keen and I were searching for a new place to dine in town. We've been passing by Torres Street before and saw Soul Kitchen  and this new restaurant beside it, Project Paella. Since Keen wasn't up for some salads or wraps from Soul Kitchen, we decided to try Project Paella instead. Keen wasn't a fan of paella because of previous experience. However, he was willing to give it another try since I like paellas, especially Paella Negra. The place was small but the space was maximized well. It had a modern industrial interior design. Keen and I sat in front of their open kitchen where we could see the chef flambé. The menu was simply comprised of a small variety of tapas, paella and dessert. Keen ordered Valenciana while I had my favorite Paella Negra. The we added Gambas since I wanted something spicy. I thought a P180 per plate of paella was quite pricy. It turns out the serving was more than enough for one person, at least for Keen and I. Keen enjoyed his paella which ...

There is this innate attitude in people that makes them resistant to change. This manifests greatly when these changes throws us off our original plans or deviates from what we were accustomed to. In terms of career, I never thought I'd be where I am right now at this point and age. Although I did say to myself in college that I want to be in this position by the time I was 25. When I turned 26 last year, I never expected a promotion to happen in the next two years or more. Before that major change in my life, I was happy at where I was. I was contented in being stagnant. I even told a colleague that if I was offered a higher position then, I would refuse it. I felt like I wasn't ready to step up yet and that I had so much to learn. A few days after, I had to eat those words. I was given an unexpected opportunity to assume a bigger role. Although a week earlier I had assumed an entirely different role, I never thought they would ask me to step up further in a span of a fe...

Someone asked me earlier why I wasn't so enthusiastic about her relationship with this certain guy she was dating. I replied by saying that I feel like he just isn't the one for her. Now I don't claim to be an expert in knowing everything about finding the one true love. But I have been through a lot of crap in my past relationships. In the beginning of those relationships, I thought it was finally the guy I'd spend the rest of my life with. But when I met Keen, I just knew that he was really the one. I just didn't feel it really but there were certain characteristics that made me say so. Now to be more precise, here are three indicators that I can point out. 1. Consistent and Extra Effort There are guys who will text or call you when they get bored while there are others who will always be there for you. The former is only there when he needs you. But the latter finds a way to be with you no matter what. They give up their lunch break to bring you flowers or ...

I haven't been publishing some works for a while here in my blog. I say publish because I have been writing a lot of drafts but I haven't had the time to continue and proofread them. Anyway, I wanted to write down a short post just to capture the fleeting ideas in my head right now and the reflections that come with it. I was recently sick which is nothing new. But it is annoying how it has become a norm for me. In as much as I would like to be healthier, at some point the food, weather or some virus would affect me. And learning from my previous mistakes, I cannot neglect simple symptoms that could worsen if not immediately treated. But now it appears as if I'm just overreacting over small things. I have accepted the fact that my body or my immune system is not really that strong. But I have been doing my best to take care of myself. I have shifted my practices and the personal products I have used. I am working on going back to excercising more. I'm beginning to l...

Writing stories was my earliest passion as far as I remember. It was probably influenced by my love for reading books and watching anime. I remember writing my first piece of literary fiction when I was on 6th grade. It was titled 'Sabrina Moonletoon'. It was a plagiarized version of Harry Potter with a few influences from Sailormoon, W.I.T.C.H. and Magic Knights Rayearth. My close friends would read and appreciate it. For a twelve year old, having your work admired by your friends was a huge accomplishment. I also joined our school paper in 6th grade and was the Entertainment Editor. With help from our moderator and my sister, I was able to publish a few articles and was given a certificate of recognition for it. I continued writing in high school despite the hectic curriculum of our science school. A few friends and a close English teacher read my works. I got constructive criticism which positively helped me do better in writing. I was also enrolled in Journalism and...

Keen and I celebrated our second anniversary as a couple yesterday. It will be the last anniversary before we get married this year. We had a simple yet elegant dinner at Bondi&Bourke. Our anniversary fell on a Monday right after the long weekend of the Holy Week. As expected, it was a manic Monday especially for me. But that didn't stop Keen from preparing for our anniversary. As usual, his funny disclaimers and surprises caught me off-guard. Plus we were able to view some lovely paintings at the Art Portal Gallery after dinner. The evening went really well. James Keen, I just want to say how grateful I am for having you in my life. I know I've been saying this to you every time. But I guess it's never enough to let you know how much I really appreciate having you as my man. I've been through so many struggles the past year that I don't think I would have enough courage to face them if you hadn't been by my side. And now as we face a new year ahead of...

This morning my family and I had our traditional way of the cross. Ever since I can remember, it has been our lenten devotion every Good Friday. What's special this year is that we are complete. It has been quite a while since we've had a perfect attendance. For the past few years there was a sibling missing because of work or other commitments. So it was indeed a very good Good Friday for all of us. As I reflected upon our uphill journey, I prayed for strength that we may continue this wonderful journey of life as a family and individuals. With my upcoming wedding, I'm not sure when will be the next time we will be complete in our way of the cross. And so I also pray for more beautiful and meaningful moments with each other. ❤️