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☕️ 8/26/25 | LIFE LATELY ☕️

— It takes a lot of discipline to maintain my coffee intake to every other day ever since that crazy GERD episode last year that landed me in the ER. Still, I’m grateful we can make good coffee at home, it saves us money. On weekends though, we treat ourselves at Naya, our favorite neighborhood café. I-try niyo if you happen to be in Cavite!

— I’ve spent the past few weeks cleaning every nook and cranny of our home. Super tiring, but seeing everything spotless after hours of cleaning makes it worth it. Along the way, I discovered just how much unused stuff we’ve been holding onto. Now that I've decluttered, our home feels lighter, and so do I.

— After a week of researching and trying out samples (bless brands that make them), I've integrated peptides into my skincare routine. I’ve always wanted to keep my routine simple, but these faint worry lines between my brows have been bothering me. I know I furrow way too much, and the rest is just our genes showing through. Aging is inevitable, I know, but at least I’m doing something about it. Botox isn’t an option anyway, I could never with needles.

— I'm grateful that the vitamins I’ve been taking are really working. My period has been regular since the start of the year, my digestion problems are at bay, and my skin is clearer, though I still get the occasional PMS pimple, but they heal faster now! The next thing I really need to work on is my sleep... I have the worst sleep hygiene.

— So, I’ve been on a full-on Naruto binge. I forgot when or how it even started, haha. Looking back, my siblings used to watch it after school, but I never joined in because I had outgrown TV pretty early and spent my time in the other room reading books and listening to music instead. Now at 31, I’m hooked and finally appreciating how good this anime is. I haven’t explored the manga yet, and surprisingly, I still haven’t bought any Naruto merch... I’m impressed with my self-control, lol.

— Our barkada finally feels complete again with my friend of 16 years visiting the Philippines. Last Saturday, we gathered at our place, enjoyed good food, shared life updates, talked about problems, and reminisced old times. The best part, I think, was seeing our husbands get along so well. Around 1 AM, we were sipping hot coffee (I guess that’s where we’re at in life now, lol) while playing board and card games until nearly 5 AM. My heart couldn't be happier. 🖤

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I remember playing Rooms was how I’d relax after long workdays.

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This is such a good reminder. But maybe we deserve a little grace, too? Showing up every day while fighting silent battles already takes a lot of strength that often goes unnoticed. So, nope, I wouldn't call that mahina. 🖤

Upgrade mo yung sarili mo, araw-araw mong higitan yung dating mahinang ikaw.

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Huy, tumitilaok na yung mga manok pero ‘di pa rin ako makatulog! 😂

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7/21/25 @ 5:50 PM | Home

It’s been a week since I started using my planner again!

However, what’s supposed to be a calming habit is slowly turning into something frustrating because I keep getting bothered by pen smudges. In fact, I’ve already torn out a few pages just because. 😣

I haven’t brought this up with my psychiatrist, but I think I might have some compulsions when it comes to writing. It affects my mood when I don’t like how my handwriting looks on paper. So, I end up rewriting it until it looks ‘just right’ to me. It’s the main reason why I switched to Notion two years ago.

To my Tumblr moots, do you have any recos for pens with quick-drying ink that’s less likely to smudge? For reference, I’m using the A5 Monthly/Weekly Planner and a 0.5 mm Smooth Gel Ink Knock-Type Ballpoint Pen from Muji. I used to like 0.3 mm, but now I prefer 0.5–0.7 mm tips.

Thank you in advance. 🖤

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7/19/25 @ 4:45 PM | Home

We’re playing Monopoly when I glanced at the empty wall in our living room, and suddenly remembered we still hadn’t hung the pictures! 😭

He took charge and I just handed him the stuff he needed. It wasn’t nearly as hard as I thought it’d be. I’m forever grateful for this gentleman. 🖤

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Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

It is not the physical pain which hurts the most…; it is the mental agony caused by the injustice, the unreasonableness of it all.

TW: If you’re not in the right headspace, I totally understand if you choose to skip this. Please take care of yourself. 🖤

This is the first time a book has ever made me cry. When I picked up this book, I thought I could finish this since it’s just about 150 pages. But, here I am, only 30 pages in because I keep pausing to cry.

Could you imagine being stripped of your rights, separated from your family without knowing if they’re still alive, forced into manual labor, and left to survive on poor food, clothing, and shelter?

All this while you’re trying to stay alive, enduring constant insults and beatings. Honestly, I don’t know if I’d be able to hold up for long.

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Thank you, @pearltriestowrite. ☺️

Tagging: @chaitealatteeeee @puppet-onyourstring @oliviaslabyrinth @alittlewarmer @lostlibrariangirl

got tagged by @khi-one to post six non-selfies

im tagging @vavistus @ippokampos @midnightpulses @komplikacije @valovita @killingmesoftlyyc2 @kontra-svijeta @space-silo if theyre in the mood <3

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7/4/25 | P. Ocampo St.

Thank God the commute from Cavite to Manila was easy peasy. Took a bus to PITX, then the LRT to Vito Cruz. Lucky to be seated on both rides. I know this isn’t the usual case though, kaya I have big respect to everyone who does this daily.

So, here’s what went down today:

Arrived 15 mins early for my second dose of HPV vaccine. Who am I kidding if I said I wasn’t nervous about the needle? But the universe said, “I got you.” The nurse was so good with the syringe.

Braved the heat and walked two blocks further to grab some pasalubong. Bought half a box of fudge brownies. Ang sarap pa din, huhu. Maybe I should’ve just gone for the whole box.

Thankful for how smooth things turned out today. 🖤

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6/19/25 | St. Scholastica’s College

Visited my alma matter! 🖤

After picking up the documents I requested, I roamed around a bit and was surprised to see nothing has changed much. A flood of memories came rushing in as I passed by the campus buildings, like:

Sprinting on my high heels through the corridors because one more late in my Software Research class meant an FA. I should’ve made the effort to wake up earlier, but I chose to risk my grades for an extra 30 minutes of sleep. 🫣

Getting a C—despite having high marks on both written and practical exams—after requesting a one-on-one with my professor to give feedback on her teaching style. Soon after, she was let go from the program following similar complaints from other students. 🥶

Hanging out in the newly renovated library while waiting for my next class. Kahit takaw-tulog ako, I never once dozed off here—this was my happy place. I spent all my free time reading as many books as I could. It’s where I discovered and got hooked on Haruki Murakami. 🥹

I was so caught up exploring and giving my mom a tour of my school that I forgot to take more pictures. Huhu. Now my mom’s asking my sister if she also has any pending business with UST—just so she can get another tour. Haha. 🤭

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5/26/25 @ 12:10 AM | Home

Back home after 2 months! 🖤

So, a while ago, I was combing through our wedding pictures (for a home project I’ve been meaning to do) while drinking this DIY 7-Eleven iced coffee… it was okay (?) kinda wish I just skipped the caramel syrup.

Namiss ko ‘tong bahay namin. 🥹

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05/05/25 | Kapihan ni Gunyong

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03/15/25 | Kiba Park

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I miss those late nights when I’d eat instant noodles and not worry about acid reflux.

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