Day 34: Lemon Bar Hopping
I had this delicious lemon bar and black coffee from SGD Coffee yesterday and it evoked feelings of warmth and familiarity. You see, the saying when life gives you lemons, make lemonade does not really apply to me because I am not exactly fond of lemonade. However, I am a fan of lemon bars (or lemon squares). I have grown up eating them in coffee shops and I would like to think that it is my way of coping with what life throws at me. When times get challenging, I tend to regroup in coffee shops. I prefer third wave cafes because the coffee tends to be way better. Single origin brews inspire me to think beyond what is customary because drinking it is a quiet rebellion from the commercialism which has taken over the coffee industry. In my case yesterday, I had Sagada coffee at SGD (kind of redundant but it still works) to complement my lemon bar. I would like to think that it's bold flavor uplifted my lemon bar (which was yummy, by the way) and enabled me to think out of the box (or out of the bar in this case).
You see, I was feeling sick yesterday. There is a flu bug going around work, and I am still down with it at the moment. However, I was determined to have a relaxing Sunday with A, who was also feeling sick himself. We then checked out my new "discovery" near Maginhawa, and SGD seemed to do the trick. We felt better thanks to the strong drinks we enjoyed and the offbeat ambience. We then proceeded to the rest of our date, and we also visited new places which we have never been to before. Not bad for a couple feeling under the weather, right?
When life gives me lemons, I eat a lemon bar. And I then think out of the bar and raise the bar. Indeed, it is in challenging times that we are driven to innovate and transcend.
Day 31: Living Mindfully and Helping Others
Beautiful handmade rosary by an inmate in Bilibid Prison.
I prayed the rosary again after a long time. I used to pray with it everyday during my previous job. My old building was adjoined to a mall, which is a stone's throw away from a church with a quiet adoration chapel. My previous job was stressful, and this ritual calmed me down during my lunch breaks. I enjoyed meditating on the mysteries, and I never lied about going to the adoration chapel whenever I was asked regarding my whereabouts. I have always been proud about my faith, and this motivates me to look for ways to integrate my passion for prayer in my other love, which is social enterprise.
I have previously used cheap plastic rosaries and jewelry-type ones from pilgrimage sites such as the Vatican and Lourdes. All of them were easily broken due to daily wear and tear. I have never been dainty, so these rosaries never appealed to me. I only used them out of necessity and because they were presents and purchases from important places of prayer. I have constantly been on the lookout for a durable rosary, because I believe that prayer is a tactile experience. I depend on rosary beads to guide me along the way. If the beads are too small and the gaps between them are practically non-existent, then it will make prayer less of the soothing ritual which it was meant to be. Thus, I have been accustomed to replacing my rosary annually, which became a pain because I do get attached to things especially if they have memories connected to them.
Usually, the crucifixes are the first ones to break. The cheap plastic ones cannot withstand the pressure of daily commuting, which is not pleasant because I do not enjoy seeing the representative image of Christ cut into half. For those with metal links, the chains would get disconnected. Having them repaired is an obvious choice since I do have experience in bead work, but it already dampens the enjoyment of prayer. As the years have gone by and the handmade movement grew along with the internet, I have discovered options which finally meant having sturdy rosaries for less heartbreak.
I bought a chotki rosary from Caritas Manila a couple of years ago, and it has served me well. It was handmade by an inmate from Bilibid Prison. It is sturdier than most rosaries I have owned, and it still works until today. It has began fraying though, as the string they have used is fibrous, so I am already seeing the signs of wear and tear on several areas. I will still recommend this though, for it is a good conversation starter and it is for a good cause.
This has then led me to the search for a new rosary. My boyfriend and I are going through challenging times in our personal lives, so we need a spiritual weapon to inspire us to renew our faith and pray more often. I have ordered four rosaries from Rugged Rosaries, an artisanal social enterprise in California. They make rosaries by hand using military-grade paracord, beads, and components. The two full-size five decade rosaries have been carefully selected to represent our personal faith journeys, while the two one decade clip-on rosaries are for everyday use and commuting. I am excited to receive them and road test them once they arrive from the US! I am also happy that part of the proceeds from my purchase supports a team of artisans who promulgate the faith through beautiful rosaries in America, and provide rosaries and MP3 New Testament Bible players to the troops.
My faith has led me to support social enterprises and the handmade movement. My advocacy is my biggest means to help others, and I look forward to doing so by shopping meaningfully, sharing the products on my blog, and living mindfully. I also want to keep on praying, because it is a meditative practice which lets me focus on the positive.
I hope that your passion will lead you to support an advocacy with minimal effort and true joy!
Day 29: Trust Issues
Me in 2007
I feel dismayed because my workspace has been violated for two consecutive days now. Yesterday, my traveler's journal was closed the wrong way, resulting in a loosened garter. When I got to my cube at 7:15am this morning, I found my top drawer open. My drawers do not have a lock, and these incidents may seem petty. But if you think of it, it is not petty at all. I work in a university, so files are all pertinent to educating students and upholding the corporate ideals of our community. These past two days have proven that it is possible for trust to be broken in an admirable company. Small items like my traveler's notebook may not seem much, but it is full of my art journaling and lunchtime sketches. I am also dismayed because I always psyche myself to get excited for each work day. These instances disappointed me, and it will take some time before I can regain my bearings.
I have already filed an incident report, and I have updated security regarding this morning's incident. I know that they are doing their best. My cube is not covered by the CCTV, so there is no way to catch the suspect on video. I am praying that this gets resolved soon.
I am also thankful to still be employed and that nothing was lost or stolen. I would not wish this on anyone else. After all, I was a student of this university ten years ago, and I do not want to disappoint my college self by being derailed by negativity. I just have to keep moving on.
Day 26: Lay Day
Whenever I feel uninspired to write, I find ways to entertain myself. I eat out, go on a coffee run, listen to music, play with my art journal, and window shop. I also visit my friend Diane from time to time in her vault, where her ashes have been laid to rest. I sometimes bring a book so I can read with her, because she was a well-versed bibliophile when she was still alive. As the one who was left behind, I make sure to be updated with what's new in bookstores so I can read and continue my favorite hobby.
I also like going out on errands, such as updating my pixie with an obligatory trim, getting my legs waxed, and buying my monthly toiletries at Human Nature. I usually browse through social enterprise pages too so I can see if there is anything new to buy and support.
I am a believer that boredom is a reason to learn something new. I enjoy going on workshops to brush up on my watercolor skills and meet artists. Book fairs are also good venues to pick up new novels and ideas.
I like beginning and ending each Lay Day with a cup of coffee. There is nothing more comforting than a cuppa and a book, and this combo inspires me to live beyond the lure of mediocrity.
Day 25: There Has To Be A Word
Today is Diane's 30th birth anniversary. She was the closest thing I had to a best friend in high school. She's the one on the left (in red) in this pic taken during my birthday in 2006.
I miss her everyday since her passing from a car accident in 2008.
This one's for you, Diane.
1) There has to be a word for missing someone in random moments, and anyone still alive can never replace someone who passed away because she was the best person to give spot-on advice.
2) There has to be a word for realizing that you should make the most out of this life because your late friend is no longer here to experience new stuff in the present.
3) There has to be a word for the friendship that binds you and your high school girls, and one of the things that bring you together is a late friend who was everyone's soul sister.
4) There has to be a word for falling in love with someone whom you introduced to your late friend back in the day.
5) There has to be a word for a friendship that goes beyond someone's passing
I ❤️ you Diane!
Day 20: Mindmap
It's Day 3 of my second round of the #15DaysOfWritingTrue and I was tasked to make a mindmap for 15 minutes. Here's my output, which illustrates my Monday mood.
Day 19: A Simple Triumph
Day 16: Writing To Live
A lot of people ask me how I balance my full-time job with my blog. I am surprised to get this a lot because many bloggers do this while working. I guess it is the frequency of my posts that makes people wonder how I get things done. I am currently taking a couple of online classes to help me with content and improving my technique. Classes cannot teach discipline though, so it is up to me to develop that. I have learned in a goal-setting course that I have to schedule my plans in order to see them come to fruition. I use my workbook for that class religiously, because if there is one thing that I must believe in, it would be the validity of my goals. Right now, my passion project is my blog. I did not ask help from anyone in IT or the blogger community in setting it up. I bought a domain name and annual subscription for website hosting using my hard-earned money. If there is something that motivates me more than anything, it would be the fact that my savings paid for this blog, so I have to maximize it. I cannot just sit around waiting for inspiration to hit me. I have to hit inspiration until I sit down and write.
I have learned that mindfulness helps in keeping me focused, especially when i am on the lookout for experiences to write about. Rather than just killing time, I make sure to live through each moment. I can turn a simple meal into a blog post or a personal anecdote into a story. I have also learned to write as it happens, and it turns out that I am a pretty efficient one at that.
I have also realized that having a passion project elevates the mundane into an art. Living just for the sake of existing does not equate to a balanced time here on earth. Rather, I prefer to live meaningfully, because if I am not thankful for the experiences I am going through, then life is just a pointless journey to oblivion.
I hope to continue this writing journey to enrich each day that I have. I hope to end each one with a prayer of gratitude and the promise of a new day.
Day 12: Writing Efficiently
Once again, my Writing Room class has taken me out of my comfort zone. Writing efficiently is easier said than done for me, since I love being detailed to a fault. Here are the shortened versions of my mini stories on feelings. They have been scaled down to ten words or less.
He hugged me longer than usual and held my hand.
I kissed him goodbye, then I alighted the bus.
They sipped lattes as their parents worked in cramped cubicles.
A vial of blood could make or break my summer.
The MRT had insufficient trains for the rush of humanity.
In closing, I was also assigned to edit my first entry for this class and rewrite it in a concise manner.
WRITING IS MY HOME
Writing never felt like a chore to me because I have befriended words early on in my life. I learned how to read at the age of two and this led to a lifelong love for reading. I eventually developed a love for writing, and I contributed for our school paper and occasionally, for
national broadsheets. I also became a public speaker.
Blogging became a natural hobby as I became a habitual writer in university. I have recently started blogging again after joining The 15 Days of Writing True e-course and beginning my 100 Days Project, which integrates my output for another class I am taking, the Writing Room.
Day 11: Feels
My Writing Room classes continue to challenge me by assigning a one-line story for each of the five emotions: joy, sadness, disgust, fear, and anger.
I chose personal topics for my mini stories. For joy, I am talking about the second time I had coffee with my now-boyfriend Allan. For sadness, I wrote about a bus ride we have shared before. I then speak about students who waste their parents' hard-earned money in disgust. For fear, I describe my state of being before each check-up with my endocrinologist (I have hypothyroidism). Lastly, I describe my daily ordeal at the MRT for anger.
In closing, I was asked to write about the last time I felt sad...
Longing for Ella
Hear me roar! Errr, yawwwwn!
There are many dogs in Barkin' Blends, my favorite dog cafe. I can only have one favorite, and Ella will always have a special place in my heart. She is a black chiweenie, a curious mix between a dachshund and a chihuahua. I fell in love with this girl because 1) she is small enough to sit comfortably on my lap, 2) she lets me read and sip on my milk tea as she takes a nap, 3) she lickes me a lot and chooses me among the other humans, and 4) she's sweet and always recognizes me whenever I visit.
I am only allowed to stay in the cafe for a couple of hours at a time, and every time I have to conclude my session there, it is always difficult to say goodbye to Ella. I cling to her sleeping, furry body until it's time to go. I wake her up, kiss her head and tell her that I will be back soon. I then hand her back to the staff and go home to my family, who are all allergic to dogs.
I will just have to visit Ella again.
Day 10: Writing with the Senses
Writing one-line stories has been more challenging than I thought! I have chosen COFFEE as my anchor to describe all five senses.
SIGHT
SMELL
HEARING
TOUCH
TASTE
WRITING MY PERCEPTIONS
I have learned in school that senses allow me to perceive reality. Yet sometimes, my senses fail me. There are external factors which could affect their ability to process life as I know it. Memory is known to be fallible. Emotions can influence one's productivity, if writing is going to be discussed in the realm of work. It is undeniable that writing entails effort, but practicing it habitually has allowed me to view it as a form of therapy rather than a burden.
I have learned to use my imagination to supplement whatever my memory and emotions fall short on. This was particularly helpful when I wrote one-line stories for each of the five senses. I look forward to balancing imaginative writing with documenting life as it actually happens in order to paint a picture with words and a lot of heart.