Life Updates (First Half of 2018)

It's almost mid 2018! I think today is the perfect time to stop for a while and analyze the past months or so. Honestly, I feel that this year has been dimming when placed side-by-side with 2017 (aka the best year ever) but now that I am trying to recall what happened since January--well 2018 isn't so bad at all!

Greatest achievement for me so far is getting my blog recognized by a local award giving body. I am so glad that I am not only nominated at the Nuffnang Blogopolis Awards for Travel category, my blog also won People's Choice!! I remembered getting the news that I won while I was inside a grocery store in Bali. I was with new friends, so it's a bit embarrassing for me to freely express myself (aka cry or humble brag haha). I think I got the chills, as I ran looking for my new friend Etienne in halls and shelves of Bali's assortment of native snacks and souvenirs. "Nanalo ako!" Haha! I just had to make the moment memorable even though I wasn't physically present during the announcement.

I think that at my age (past 30), there are up to zero recognitions for doing a job well done. Unlike when we were still in school, there's always the annual awarding ceremony for getting good grades or even for actively participating in school orgs complete with medals, stage presence, certificates, and your parentals beaming with pride in the sidelines. I may be old, but it's still nice to feel that my work is appreciated. My parents were still the first ones I messaged. I dedicate the award to all those days I am stuck in my bed just writing and writing even though I get less page views than I was expecting, lol! Or the times I was so tired but had to answer all the messages I got asking help for their visas and itineraries. All worth it.

When my laptop gave me the black screen of death a few weeks ago, I was a little less worried because I know in my heart that most of my pictures are already online anyway, along with my stories. They are not as hi-res as the ones in my old Macbook Pro, but I am not left with nothing. I think that's the fulfilment of still writing and writing my travel stories although it can be time consuming. Readership matters but not my top priority. I want to have those little moments in my life etched somewhere in the World Wide Web, that I can look back to from time to time and in the future. 

(sorry for the messy background I am trying to pack, hehe) - new Macbook Air vs old Macbook Pro:

I still love looking back to my Korea Winter (Busan and Jeju) and Spring (Daegu) trips earlier this year. Whenever I open and reread these blog posts, I transport myself back to that afternoon when I got lost in Busan's highway, or that Jeju tour day where temperature is just too cold, etcetera etcetera. Losing a laptop is just the WORST because I cannot write as frequently as I want to, and also because ANG MAHAL NIYA PALITAN. Lalo na I have an upcoming big trip where I need all the funds (ang galing talaga ng timing ng ganito, so I am not surprised na hahaha). But when it comes to the memories, almost little to no worries at all. Mas masakit siguro sakin mawala ang blog ko.

In a repair shop with my bff Paul, trying to recover my Macbook. Only got to retrieve the files which is not bad nadin.

Excited to write more! 

Another memorable time for me during the past months was when my friend since St. Scho days came home from the States for her wedding. She's already married civil, but this time, family and friends were all invited to her big Manila church and reception celebration. I think Chickie and Jopo are our barkada's long-time couple. They are very inspiring, calling each other partner since they were best friends since college, then now as husband and wife living their full potentials in the States.

We had a surprise bridal shower for Chickie which I helped organize. It's a mini onsen party in Makati where we first had games then had our onsen and massage experience, ending the night at the hotel's buffet. Sobrang solid nito! I think I will even be returning here on my own, sobrang naenjoy ko yung onsen, massage, and buffet nila!

Everything's PLANT BASED here, so I really finished everything that I can! Sobrang sarap nung mushroom skins!! I wish I live closer to vegan restos so I can try more of them.

I think these Preggy Ashley months were memorable for me because it's not everyday you get to witness someone close to you turn a totally different chapter in her life--or a totally different BOOK pa kamo! I've known Ashley for a long long time thanks to the Internet, and if you want to know how long ko na sya kilala it was during the times she was still based in Japan, my current blog is still non-existent, and people still call her CANDY! Haha! 

And now she's not just my Japan-based friend or my blog events buddy or my Korea in Manila girl, she's now a MOM! Time is really flying by before my eyes, and I can only watch whether it's good or bad. That night when we received a Viber groups message from Ashley with a photo of her baby, it's definitely one of those good days.