on the Verge of

A sudden opportunity to take the board exam for Environmental Planning came up to me a few weeks ago. I was asked to try out last year but I was busy for my wedding preparation so I did not have the energy and resources to do so. On the last minute, with my husband's encouragement, I agreed to take the final schedule of review and pushed through with my on-the-deadline application with PRC. My career shift from BPO facilities management back to Real Estate Development, which was my first line of work after graduation, was a huge factor in realizing this journey to being an Environmental Planner. During the review, I learned more processes and related laws that I could apply in my work in Real Estate Development. Then came the two days of board examination which was grueling.  I was scared and was probably overthinking the whole time. But I tried my best to review all of the questions before I shaded the answer sheets. After the last exam on the last day, I felt so exhausted th...

Juna Subdivision has slowly developed into the city's prime food hub. Many new and familiar restaurants, bakeshops and cafés have emerged along its main avenues. I can probably say that Lara Mia is one of the most popular restaurants in Juna Subdivision. The place is always almost full every time I go there. On some dates, you would not have a table if you haven't made a prior reservation. With the modern elegant ambience of the place and the delicious food and pastries they serve, it's no wonder why. Keen and I have been going to Lara Mia for quite some time now and this review is quite overdue. Nonetheless, it is better late than never :) Let's start off with their simple menu. There's not a lot of variety per category but believe me, it's just enough to keep you coming back for more. The prices are relatively affordable as well. They also offer a small variety of wines that pair well with the pizza and pasta. As I mentioned, the p...

So I watched the last full show of Avengers: End Game from 10:20pm-1:20am. Even with this timeslot, the cinema was filled with so many people excited to watch the movie on its first day of screening. It is set to be the most successful film of the franchise, with millions of tickets sold worldwide prior to its release date. For me, Marvel has truly done another great job in delivering an apt ending to the most popular movie saga of our generation. The previous movie, Avenger: Infinity War has left everyone in a sad note when more than half of our heroes vanished with Thanos’ snap. WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD, if you haven't watched the movie, what universe are you from?? So let’s talk about what happened in the movie. Five years after the catastrophic event, Ant Man suddenly returns to the real world only to find out what happened. For him, he only got stuck in the quantum realm for hours. He then initiates this time travel idea where they concoct a plan to retriev...

I began to write this as I wait for our plane to take off from Cebu. Earlier today, I woke up for my flight to Cebu. It was 3:45am and my body was aching for more sleep. But I cannot delay since I still had a report to cram at the airport. So I got up and suddenly asked myself, half awake, "Para kanino ako bumabangon?". It was a famous line from that Nescafe commercial. Then as I took a shower, I spoke to God like I never had a conversation with Him for a long time. It was a mess of a prayer, saying random things to Him about the things I am grateful for, my concerns in life, and my worries. I spoke to Him about how scared I was of my Thyroid condition. I spoke to him about my career and many other things. Later today, I had good and long conversation with one of my senior managers. She shared to me about the medical conditions she also faced in life. All throughout she never lost faith and hope in God. She fought and prayed for her life because of her children, her fam...

I have been seeing doctors for the past few weeks because of some inflammation in my neck. And although it feels like it has already subsided, tests show that there is something wrong aunderneath. A few years back, my mom would always point out that my lower neck seems rather odd. Of course I've had it checked during my previous annual physical exams. But the doctors said that there's nothing to be worried about, that it looks prominent but not protruding. Now, after seeing two specialists, it seems clear now that I have a problem with my thyroid. Initially, the doctor told me it was thyroiditis or a 5% chance of cancer due to the hardness of the gland. Hearing the possibility of the latter diagnosis already scared me even if it were just a small percentage. I had a biopsy to had it checked. When we got the results, I felt devastated. There was a suspected papillary carcinoma. The doctor immediately recommended surgery the next day. I sought a second opinion first with an...

It was a long Sunday for me, Keen and my sister Jacq. We just finished some errands and a long overdue grocery so we were starving. We decided to check out one of the newest restaurants in Tulip drive: Cuencos. Cuencos Rice and Noodle Bar is just in front of Fuente de Villa-Abrille. The restaurant offers a variety of noodles and rice bowls at reasonable prices, an average of P180-200 per person. We ordered Arroz ala Cubana for my sister, Nasi Lemak for me, and Beef Pares for Keen. We also ordered Laksa as a soup for sharing. The servings were adequate and it tasted really good, especially the Laksa. I have tried many Laksa and I must say theirs is one of the impressive ones. Beef Pares Nasi Lemak Arroz ala Cubana Laksa While they they have friendly and attentive staff, I must note that their service time is quite slow. There were only three groups in the restaurant at the time. It took almost 40 mins to serve the food. I don't think it would be practical t...

4:32am I'm in the cab on my way home from a mid/night shift. I'm looking at the supermoon on a dark cloudless sky. And somehow I find myself whispering a prayer, one that I have repeatedly said to God when I am anxious about new beginnings. "Lord, to You I lift up all my worries and fears, my hopes and my dreams." Less than 2 weeks from now I will be transferring to a new job. Although I have weighed the pros and cons, a part of me prays that things will work out well for me. I am definitely excited but nervous at the same time. And in these times of uncertainty, I turn to God to whom all good things come from.