nhixstatic-blog

[nhixstatic-blog]

Gabby Alipe X Kat Agarrado. Killer track!

[nhixstatic-blog]

// The 1975 Live At The Ayala Malls // (A trance and a culture shock)

The 1975 TRANCE I was caught into

I don't know 'bout other fans but I'm pretty definite of how I feel when I'm listening to their music. In a trance. I've never felt anything like this with any other artist's music ever my whole life. And if I were, it would be just one song, nothing more, nothing less. And it has been so long ago since the last time I got so hooked with a band--with Paramore (since 2007).

The mall shows

They've visited Manila for a series of shows--The 1975 Live At The Ayala Malls, from March 28-29, 2014.

I've watched their show in TriNoma since it's my free day (really), though I'm supposed to watch with friends at their Friday show and sadly I have to work til late night that day. (Uggghhh!) So I had to muster my courage to watch it alone. 

I wasn't able to make it for the first 100 stub in order for me to get inside the barricades. Even though I made it at before 10am in Trinoma, still no luck. My new friends in the line said people were here as early as 9am. Damn right, they're so early and they have to camp in the line until 5pm for the organizers to let them in for the show.

We decided to just buy the CD and meet later at 4pm. I had lunch and even watched Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier to kill time before I decided to stay in position at the event area.

The audience and my new-found friends(?)

Should you ask the demographics of the audience in TriNoma, it's 60% highschool girls--well a few boys--about in their junior or senior year, at least of what I think of them, 20% college freshmen and sophomores. The rest of the 20%? Working class, everyday mall people. Now how do I know? I've met a handful of fans like me and they've just finished school/highschool graduation yesterday so they took the opportunity to watch now or never. They were shocked when they found out I'm already 23 and said I look younger than my age, college perhaps, so it's dibs. Haha!

I thought I belong to the previous night's audience in Glorietta. My mom took a stroll in Glorietta that night waiting for dad and she figured she'd watch the show. She told me demographics are 70% young professionals, college graduates and the likes and the rest are regular mall people and passers by. (Honestly, I was really impressed with The 1975 and their handlers that their tapping the general pop culture market whichever age. Hey my mom even liked their song Girls and she's around her 40's. Way to go!)

The show and why I got culture-shocked with concert-going

Me and my new-found friend waited for about an hour and a half after we're settled in a spot behind the last barricade--IN AGONY. Imagine that I was also in pain. I had an arc strain after a 5km run in Ayala that morning.

Then I just totally forgot about it when the show started, not yet--when I saw all four of them on stage about to start their first song.

I'm not really fond of going to concerts, I must admit but attending concerts of my favorite bands/artists is a different case. The last time I attended was Katy Perry's Rock For Relief (2009).

I knew it had to be this way but still I was culture shocked!

Once there was a cue music for the band to start, I was able to be in character for my concert-self--pulled back my hair, ready to get sweaty and ready to dance my everything out--so as the rest of the persons beside me and behind me. And as soon as the first note of Matty's or Adam's (whichever, I wasn't aware) guitar hit, this was the scene:

What I thought: THIS IS HOW PEOPLE WATCH CONCERTS NOWADAYS. And how they practiced holding up their cameras whatever for a whole straight hour, I never knew.

It kind of made me sad. I tried to not mind but it bugs me how they are going to miss the feeling of being in a concert, feeling what a true fan feels, instead they were busy doing their obligation to social networks, the least for themselves.

I had my dSLR with me but I only took a few shots and I want it to be just in my memory. I just wanted to be lost in the moment, in a trance again for just an hour listening to their music LIVE--the biggest thing in my fan life--which rarely happens and I don't want any hands blocking my view, darn it.

I finally decided to let it go since I have the people around me and we had our little mosh pit. When I clapped, they clapped as well and vice versa. When they sang along, we all sang along and danced to their live music. Best experience everrrrr.

What's more surprising is that they're gonna come back next year hopefully for a major concert. 

To The 1975, we are looking forward to that. Thank you for coming to Manila! :)

This was the best shot I got. :)

[nhixstatic-blog]

// B E S T F U C K I N G V I D E O E V E R //

[nhixstatic-blog]

Good Friday sunset. Unbelievably, I have captured this stunning view. The Mayon hidden behind the clouds though.

[nhixstatic-blog]

                                  // THE1975 LIVE AT AYALA MALLS //

                                         // TriNoma Activity Center //

                                                // March 28, 2014 //

[nhixstatic-blog]

10 Reasons I'm Decided To Move Out To The Metro (with GIFs)

Whenever I'm being negated or my opinions junked into someone else's trash (people just don't get it's an opinion), it's when Mark Twain whispers to me to remember that a wise man don't argue. And blogging became my avenue to merely expound my thoughts on something. Basically nothing like arguing with other people and swaying their beliefs, but sharing my carefully hand-picked thoughts.

I was told that this decision is, I quote 'sobrang hirap', very difficult. But if everyone is going to say that it is and they can only come up with that, I can come up with 10 reasons or even more that I am going to do it.

1. It's not a stupid thing to do or a rush decision

It's a REASONABLE thing to do and it took me time to decide. Though it's too early to tell, it's one of the best fucking decisions I ever made. (Profanity to intensify it. Sorry)

2. It's hard but it's going to be exciting

New city. New places. New faces. It makes me alive. My appetite for life makes me thrive for new things to excite me. The problem with people is that they avoid things that are hard, they only settle for the things they are comfortable doing. It is going to be hard, but as a local fitness expert says 'The ones that are hard are the ones that will actually work'. And it will be worth it.

3. I can have more time to do the things I enjoy doing

I have already established my hobbies and endeavors during my idle time from work and I like to continue them until I can. And by cheating the travel time to and from the office through looking for a place to stay nearby, gives me time to do those things. Plus gives me enough rest to do those things given the amount of time demanded by my job.

4. I can move on

With my life, from all the depressions, the heartaches, the failures, everything. Moving into a larger, new city awaits a brand new start. That makes it all exciting.

5. I'm not afraid to be alone. And I'm not going to be alone. But I'm going to be alone and I like to be alone.

One last but: But I'm not really going to be alone, always. Moreso, I'm not going to die alone. I'm going to be with new people, reconnect with the people I haven't seen for a long time since. Well, it's about time to cross that bridge again and it's time to build new bridges as well. 

6. I can control what I want to eat

I can eat whatever, whenever I want to. Or I don't have to get home hungry and constantly battle with myself over whether I will eat or not because the food is just right there on the dinner table once you get home. Trust me, it's deliberately draining the food you eat to travel two hours going to work as well.

7. I always welcome changes with an embrace

Cliche: The only constant thing in this world is change. D'oh? My whole life things are changing I'm so used to it. Yes, it's never going to be fine, but it if it's worth the change, why not appreciate it, embrace and live in it. Go with your life's flow!

8. Living on your own is the most exciting thing to do in your 20s

I don't know but it excites me to live in another place. I lived in a dormitory and an apartment during my college years. I lived in Singapore for 6 months. It gives me more appetite for life. And being away from your usual scenario at home can be pretty liberating! Not that I don't like living with my family but somehow I get to see what the world looks like outside the confines of our home.

9. I'm ready to face my fears

That kind of adventure I like. Where I can be fearless with anything. Facing my fear of being in other places other than Makati. I used to say to myself, 'I don't know any place else than Makati.' If you ask me where we should hang out, I'd tell you Makati, e.g. Greenbelt, Glorietta, because I am familiar with it. Any other city than Makati, I am afraid going to. Now I'm stepping out a few miles from Makati.

10. Not everyone is as brave as me to do it

The thought of living alone in a new city is really scary for everyone including me. Not everyone musters enough confidence to do it even though they want to or need to, so why can't you.

When was the last time you were brave enough to do something that others can't or afraid to do?

[nhixstatic-blog]

An Open Letter: We Almost Saw Each Other

We almost saw each other. Almost.

I was crossing the street. I noticed a familiar SUV. It is familiar because I knew what car brand and model it is. I was wishing it wasn't yours/your family's. I got sure I knew whose automobile it was when I read the plate number. The SUV was parked in front of the store beside the coffee shop we used to hang out at.

I played like I didn't see it. I wasn't even sure you were there or even inside the coffee shop. I acted naturally like I don't know if you are watching me walking across outside the coffee shop. I'm not really sure if you were inside that coffee shop, watching me with your family pointing me for you to see me.

I believe I was out of your sight already. I sighed deeply for relief. But I already feel my blood rushing through my veins. I was so nervous we are going to see each other. I was so nervous because I don't want us to see each other nor I don't want to see you. I was so nervous it's going to spark a small conversation or a catch up between you and me and your family. I keep looking from the next store to the car, hoping you might follow me or you might be leaving. I was nervous because my family is going to hang out at that coffee shop in a while and we might see each other again.

When that happens, I'm afraid everything will come rushing back---everything, from memories to feelings. I'm afraid I will lost everything I have worked for moving on. I'm afraid last year's events will replay its storyboard, you'll come back to me and leave me again. I'm afraid I will go back to my old self, a selfless creature, crazy over love. I don't want to because I'm already embracing my life now and I love it. I don't want all of those to happen, the reason I'm nervous. 

I remember the last time something like this happened, at a favorite tea shop we also used to hang out at. We loved that place. But it was you who first saw me. I didn't even notice you were there but someone caught my attention that you were there. Same reasons to be nervous but the difference was I gave in to the fear. I was so weak that time like I felt I don't have any choice but to rewind everything and do the same mistakes all over again.

Then, I learned from that mistake. So I prayed hard you will leave that coffee shop soon so that once we go there, all the things I'm afraid of and being nervous for won't happen. ALL OF IT so that we could continue moving on with our own lives, especially my life now in which I already have almost everything I wanted. I don't want to lose it in an instant by just the thought of us seeing each other by chance. Of all places, of all days, of all times.

I figured you don't want those to happen as well because we both know it's what's best if it didn't happen. I understand you have learnt also from the mistakes we made. Maybe the reason you didn't even follow me to the next store if you saw me. Or you didn't really see me at all. Or maybe you weren't even there in that coffee shop at all.***

[nhixstatic-blog]

I had the perfect sight of the full moon from walking to the parking lot earlier, just within eye level perfectly lighting up the thin layer of clouds around it. It was so perfect I wish I had a dSLR built inside my eye and captured that perfect image of the moon. #shutterbugchronicles

[nhixstatic-blog]

Project Valentine's at #ProjectPie

It's my second Valentine's Day with friends and this year, we celebrate it a day before for some reasons. And this year, we celebrate it on a fresh place---Project Pie, Alabang.

The Lovebirds. JK.

Scenario at Festival Mall, Alabang while waiting for JP to arrive from his field work at a nearby mall.

Project Pie Alabang is located at Block 28, Commerce Ave, Alabang, Muntinlupa. The store opened last December 23, 2013 as their third (if I'm not mistaken) one after Blue Wave and Shaw Blvd.

The Project Experience: A Walk Through

The usual starter: LONG LINES. The line isn't in this photo but it was really long when we arrived on Thursday at around 9pm. 

Use your spare time in the long queue deciding on building your own and what toppings to put on your pizza, or choosing among their seven house recipe choices for only P285 regardless of how much toppings you want to put on. Yes, the freedom of choosing anything you want in one pizza. Although, they won't guarantee the taste so you have to choose them carefully.

You get to choose from your pizza base---red or white sauce, to cheese, meat, etc and you get to ask for extra (parmesan on top! Ha!). I like my pizza extra meaty and cheesy.

And the projects are done:

Top to bottom: mine, JP's, Carlo's, Belle&Myra's

Strawberry Mango pizza for dessert.

Capped off the night playing pusoy dos on the outside tables and a group photo:

See? You don't have to have a relationship partner to enjoy Valentine's. I got my friends! Happy Valentine's from the TeaGang!**

[nhixstatic-blog]

40th day of the Gregorian Calendar

February 9th. The 40th day of the Gregorian Calendar.

It wasn't the anniversary for my running folks, I just remembered. It's tomorrow, the 10th of February, so I was reminded I have to run at all costs tomorrow.

I had to catch up with a lot of things I'm gonna miss doing on weekdays which I knew it's never ever going to happen starting tomorrow since I already accepted a full-time job in an events company. I was even planning to move out to Mandaluyong to keep up with everything I wanted to do---running and working out, music, photography, blogging, reading, torrent downloads, etc.

Right now, I'm missing Thursdays to Fridays worth of my favorite TV series and I missed two days this week without reading a book. The online world? Nah, it can wait. It's never gonna leave and it's permanently marked probably on the world map. You're probably not going to get what I'm saying but read on.

I love getting thoughts and values out of watching these US TV shows and I don't get these kinds of thoughts in watching local ones. Not that I neglect it but because I'm not after the smitten feeling and and griping-the-kontrabida feeling local teleseryes bring which in the two decades of my existence, paulit-ulit na lang, same idea show by show. Disclaimer: Spoiler alert for those who haven't watched these yet.

1. The Big Bang Theory - Now I'm considering this real romance! Sheldon kissed Amy. Whoa! Hashtag relationship level up.

2. Super Fun Night - Boubier growing up, having enough of the juvenile traditions and acts but finds herself realizing that it's the way she is.

3. Modern Family - One of the best TV shows I've ever watched my entire life. Not worthy of spoiling details. You must see the episode yourselves. You can always learn something in every episode. But for the sake of this blog, it's about trust and snooping around. And I nearly cried because of Haley Dunphy.

4. Marvel Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. - All I can say is that it keeps on getting better and better. Stan Lee. The Clairvoyance. Quinn. Losing Skye. Bad news: They're gonna be back on March 4.

Finished watching in the morning which is a bad replacement for working out. Then I opted to read I Am Number Four with my favorite Grande Non-Fat Double Iced Asian Dolce Latte. The perfect coffee and the perfect day.

[nhixstatic-blog]

Confessions Of A Job Hopper

There is no exact criteria and definition written in the modern dictionary nor in the bible for a job hopper. You could be hopping jobs due to the nature of the job, e.g. project-based which is a necessity to transfer between jobs or places. There's also a negative connotation of job hoppers who just play around the corporate world until they find the perfect job and environment for them, or they're just confused among other things.

Coming from the situation where people expect great things from me, it was pretty disappointing for them. But not for me. It was for quite some time but it was one of the best, adventurous, awesome, bad-ass things that happened in my 20's. Basically, it's because I have eliminated all the options that I don't really wanted.

To tell you honestly, I have left jobs where:

1. I have formally resigned with a month notice. It was my first job, my first almost-stable job. I had to resign formally and without any inconvenience on both parties because I worked there for two years, quite long for a first job. 

2. I did not formally resigned. Funny story. I was suppose to send it to my colleague but I accidentally sent it to the VICE PRESIDENT/Accounts Manager of the company which I was to send her a formal message on the day I'm not coming to work. I was already planning on leaving five days before I intended to leave and I have already told one of my colleagues. I can consider it as an A.W.O.L. but I haven't signed a contract yet after reminding the HR everytime I pass by her cubicle and I have been reporting to work at that particular company for three weeks already. It wasn't in my resume though. I did not put it in my resume. Now, that's bad-ass.

3. I was forced to resign. You read that right. Monique? Forced to resign? Let me know if you need proof. It was heartbreaking for a minute. Blah. I did not put effort on bringing in new businesses after three months of selling their products to my natural market and because I do not attend once a month meetings and team activities---maybe because my heart isn't really there at all though my mind is otherwise. 

With that, I remembered "When God closes the door, he opens the window." Well in my case,

"God has opened the window, but He has to close the door." 

I accepted a full-time job recently which will take so much time and effort so it may be the probable reason the last one on the list happened---because I already got in to what I realized I wanted in the first place after the first one on the list had happened. My heart and mind had it unlike the third one which I seemingly had to play a role of wanting it because I don't have anything else important to do at that time in my life.

Good luck to all the job hoppers out there. Soon, you'll find it, too! Well, I hope this is it.**

P.S. All of this happened in a span of 8 months. A lot could happen in 8 months.

[nhixstatic-blog]

26 Things You Can Learn From The Wolf Of Wall Street

Finally had the balls to use my vast spare time, not that I regret wasting my time because of the sex, drugs and all the movie is implying. As wanting to become a salesperson my entire life, a friend of mine told me to watch it. Here are some things I have picked up and realized while watching one of the best Scorsese movies of all time.

1. It's never wrong to have 'high-minded ambitions at 22.

2. The idea of working hard is to 'put meat on the table'. 

3. Most people don't realize that they can earn as much as stockbrokers can. They just don't know how.

4. Drugs may do you good at work. But not and never ever in this generation!

5. Rich people don't buy penny stocks. But Belfort just manipulated them, so it doesn't really debunk this statement.

6. COLD MARKETS CAN TRUST YOU. Learn your selling.

7. There is no such thing as bad publicity.

8. There's going to be some assholes who are going to drag you down from the top.

9. Marriage fades away. It is supposed to fade away.

10. The movie is too honest to tell that our generation today, as we speak, is out of luck---how drugs, alcohol, obscenity, etc is normal during the 80s. Not that I conform to this.

11. A lot of people are good at selling even though it's just cocaine.

12. Never take no for an answer and don't hang up the phone until the deal is done!

13. Create a sense of urgency and need in the person you are selling your products to.

14. Learn to deal with your problems to become rich.

15. Listen and do what your boss is teaching you because they only want you to become like them and they believe that you can become just like them.

16. Phone calls are indeed important in making sales calls. (I know.)

17. I learned further about Swiss bank accounts.

18. "Risk is what keeps us young." My favorite.

19. We have, in some point of our lives, someone whom we can comfortable tell anything that is uncomfortable to talk about with the rest of the world.

20. Tingle phase. Slur phase. Drool phase. Amnesia phase. Then the Cerebral Palsy phase.

21. Things will eventually get out of hand and it will then question your integrity and sanity.

22. There are instances when you can say, NO.

23. Look back to where and how you started so that you see how much you have become.

24. Time will come and God will send you a message and you must clean up all your acts.

25. I will never ever fall in love with someone like Jordan Belfort.

26. We live in this world where anything is for sale.

[nhixstatic-blog]

I knew I'm ought to find out about this band when I decided to have my ride back home with my guy bestfriend last Monday night from a hang out with friends. If I did not, I'm not this hyped up for three days in a row! And still counting! I tried to keep my cool and be calm because my hips are quite getting into the mood for swinging left and right by itself. That's how groovy for me the songs are.

It was Chocolate that caught my attention and asked my friend who this fine-tuned band I'm hearing in his car is. The next thing I knew, I never listened to any other song than theirs for three straight days.

Aside from Chocolate and Girls, my favorites in their self-titled album are The City, Sex, Heart Out, Robbers and their current single which has just launched its music video this morning, Settle Down, very sexy song just the way Matthew Healy sings the refrain. How I imagine I'm dancing on him. I'm insane, I'm sorry.

GIRLS The 1975

Bite your face to spite your nose / 17 and a half years old /��I'm worrying about my brother finding out / Where's the fun in doing what you're told?

I said no / Oh give it a rest I could persuade you / I'm not your typical stoned 18 year old / Give me a night I'll make you / I know you're looking for salvation in the secular age / But girl I'm not your savior / Wrestle to the ground / God help me now

Cause they're just girls breaking hearts / Eyes bright, uptight, just girls / But she can't be what you need if she's 17 / They're just girls / They're just girls

A pair of frozen hands to hold / Oh she's so southern so she feels the cold / One moment I was tearing off your blouse / Now you're living in my house / What happened to just messing around?

I said yo, I think I better go, I can't take you / You just sit and get stoned with 30 year olds and you think you've made it / Well, shouldn't you be fucking with somebody your age instead of making changes? / Wrestle to the ground / God help me now

Cause they're just girls breaking hearts / Eyes bright, uptight, just girls / But she can't be what you need if she's 17 / They're just girls / They're just girls

I told her from the start / Destined to be hard / I told her from the start / I'll break your heart / Destined to be hard / Break your heart

I said yo, I think I better go, I can't take you / You just sit and get stoned with 30 year olds and you think you've made it / Well, shouldn't you be fucking with somebody your age instead of making changes? / Wrestle to the ground / God help me now

Cause they're just girls breaking hearts / Eyes bright, uptight, just girls / But she can't be what you need if she's 17 / They're just girls / They're just girls

They're just girls breaking hearts / Eyes bright, uptight, just girls / But she can't be what you need if she's 17 / They're just girls / They're just girls

Cause they're just girls / Just girls, they're just girls

[nhixstatic-blog]

Three life lessons to learn from 'Three Dinners' episode of Modern Family

Today, I planned catching up on my favorite US tv series since I missed a week worth of shows and one of them is Modern Family. In their 13th episode of their 5th season showed the three Pritchett families having dinner separately and I guarantee lessons from those scenarios. I wanted to start off with the easiest one and save the best relatable (to me) last.

Practically everyone has already seen it so it's okay for me to incorporate the scenes, for those who doesn't watch the show. Basically if I ran out of words, you will likely have the idea of the lesson already by telling what happened in the episode.

1. Jay Pritchett, Gloria, Shorty and Darlene

The four amigos are having dinner and Shorty brought up moving to Costa Rica with Darlene. Jay was hesitant with his long-time buddy going away from him and was giving hints of them staying through reverse psychology. After the dinner Gloria and Manny was lecturing Jay about how he keeps pushing people away and that he can't handle something that strikes his soft side basically because Jay thinks he's so tough. Finally out of denial, Jay was able to man up and about to walk out the door to visit Shorty but the latter showed up in their doorstep to pick up the jacket he had forgotten earlier.

Jay had finally opened up that Shorty moving out to Costa Rica with Darlene will make him miss all the times they've had including the time when Shorty waited for 6-long hours at the hospital while Mitchell was being delivered. They agreed to keep in touch with each other.

If the case would be different, Jay wouldn't have the chance to say goodbye to his best pal he's ever had in his life and the dinner had ended up with them fighting over Shorty leaving. Good thing is that Shorty's travel isn't a rush or a surprise that they'll be leaving after their dinner. But this isn't always the case in the real world. Ending up the friendship with someone who means so much to you because you're so egoistic you don't want to show your sensitive side because everyone looks up to you very strong, won't bring you far in your personal relationships. Everyone accepts the soft spot within you no matter how masculine you think you are as long as you are true with your feelings. You'll never know when you will have the chance you are seeing them again and say how you feel for a particular friend or a partner. Grab the chance to let them know or just a gesture to show you care about them.

2. Mitchell Pritchett and Cam Tucker

Mitch and Cam, for starters, are a gay couple. They went out for dinner in order for them reconnect as a couple and get away from all the stress of planning their wedding. They are sitted beside (unbelievably a half-foot away from their table, I won't even go to that restaurant if I wanted privacy) another couple to whom they sparked up a conversation with. The guy, Brandon asked for them to have some space when his lady, Katy, went to the restroom since he is going to ask her to marry her and he wants it to be special. Katy said no to his proposal because she doesn't want to get married and Brandon went out for air. Katy explained to Mitch and Cam that she panicked and that they were so different.

Before the gist, I guess there are so many points to tackle about this scenario which is pretty complex for me because it's about relationships. When I decided to blog it, I have to watch those scenes all over again. Not that I don't understand it, but there's really a lot going on. One thing is the couple's indifference. Katy, growing up experiencing camaraderie in Missouri like Cameron, said she doesn't know if she could live the rest of her life with a man who doesn't even share his plate. Cam tried to tell her that it can be done and Mitch then stressed out that with all the compromises, the arguments, settlements and boredom, they managed to keep the relationship going strong. Mitchell also stressed out that despite all of those, he can always picture a life with Cameron and that Katy would ask herself if she can imagine her life without that person.

Now there goes the lesson. Brandon went back inside, paid for their bill and Katy, feeling sorry, realized that she wanted something Mitch and Cam has and left. I was like, what's up with this woman anyway? Been with this guy for two years and doesn't want to get married with him yet? But I felt her, maybe the proposal was in a rush or something or that she really can live without Brandon. Maybe what this scenario is trying to tell us is that in order for us to be sure in a marriage or in a relationship to ask ourselves to picture both situations and that marriage is not going to secure eternal love.

3. Phil, Claire and Haley Dunphy

Three basil-infused mojitos started it all. Phil and Claire, the parents, took Haley, their eldest daughter out for a seemingly friendly dinner out and had her open up her plans in the future. Now everyone thinks, Haley is the dumb one in the family but I figured she is the street smart out of the three Dunphy siblings. She managed to figure out what her parents are trying to do. Claire finally got straight to the point and opened up that they are worried their daughter doesn't have any plan. Haley showed her blog and that she planned to take up business classes next semester. Phil and Claire amazingly got proud but Haley walked out telling them that they 'always assume the worst of' her and that she has a better handle of her future. 

I was starting to think of writing an open letter to my parents about this whole plans-for-your-future thingy prior to writing this blog. Thanks to Haley Dunphy. But I'd rather wait for my mom to watch this episode and had her thinking to lose grip in controlling my life and letting me figure my way out and land on my own feet. Because we already have it in mind and we basically need time and less talks even though they perceive us slacking off.

Next argument: Parents, instead of manipulating their kids' future and trying to know what their eldests' next step in life would be, should also mind their own business of planning for themselves as well. Haley had turned the tables and tried striking up her parents' plan for themselves in the future especially when the three of them are already out on their own. Turned out, they haven't had any plans yet, ironically and they are already in their 40's. I hate to sound disrespectfully agreeing to her but it was a total slap on their faces when she did that. I love it every time Haley turns the table, every time.

[nhixstatic-blog]

6 things we, 20-somethings do that we don't realize they were mistakes

Oh, how sweet that moment when you receive your first few paychecks--- drag along your friends to the nearest bar and buy happy hour drinks, come home to your family and booking your weekend to satisfy your cravings with a 32" pizza, your treat; shopping on 50-70% Aldo accessories in Greenbelt 5, getting your first iPhone 5S plan, etc. That feeling of being independent---emotionally, mentally and financially, where you can do, buy, decide on whatever you want.

It's not wrong to enjoy your fruits of labor but until it will become a habit just because you are just too frolic to enjoy. Eventually it will suck up your life if you continue to habitually do these things. It's only a matter of time when you realize, this is not how life in the real world works. Here are some common habits we basically enjoy in our early 20s which apparently aren't going to be practical in the long run.

1. Happy hour-ing too often

Bad day at work? He cheated? That condescending boss of yours? And people run into what they think solves negative things or at least makes them forget it. It's true what they say, alcohol doesn't solve any problems, but then again, neither does milk. 

This is as simple as taking care of your body while you're young and not trying everything because we're still young. It doesn't work that way. I have talked to people beyond their golden years still alive and kicking! A few of them I know are even running, one is still working and can still drive alone and another can still walk from their house to the mall, though it's really near but geez, 90 y/o?. Great stories though.

Exercise or at least get your body moving, eat healthy (diet doesn't count), destress in forms of sports, recreational activities, do your favorite hobby and step away from those things/activity that will harm your body in the future.

2. More spending, less savings---and more debts.

Just because everyone is spending or has credit cards, means you also have to. Why does it have to be competing with others anyway? As what my favorite local personal finance figure says,

In personal finance, don't give in to the pressure of living like everyone else does so that in the future, you don't have to live like every one else does. -RANDELL TIONGSON

Also another favorite, Suze Orman says about paying off debts if you have, first than buying stuffs. Being prudent is the key and I have lived with that for half a year now. Yes, I'm currently a boho, a vagabond, frugal whatever you wanna call it and I'd be a part of Rent cast except that I don't have HIV.

It's about time you start to rethink where your money is going so that you won't live it up as you age and as you need to spend more on things you really need. Suze Orman also said that, 

“If you don’t have money saved, spend your money just on needs. All the things you buy are really worthless.”

Thanks for the help, my friends, Suze and Randell

3. Financial ignorance

Now you're already saving, good start! Then you need money for an emergency after six months of saving, after that you're left with nothing again and start saving. You start to think that it's actually okay to barge in your piggy bank and take money whenever you need it again. This is the problem after trying to save.

There are lots of investment vehicles where you can put your money in it for long-term. It doesn't just keeps your money, it multiplies your money as well which is the best way to start working on your financial goals and a lot of us don't know it yet. Examples of these are bonds, stock investments, mutual funds, variable life products and tradings which I will elaborate further in another blog post some other time.

The thing is these long-term investments are not very liquid unlike banks where you can just withdraw your money anytime you needed some like your piggy banks at home. These are invested for long-term maturity of your money and the more you forget you have put some money invested in, the more you'll have money in the future when you needed it to. Most likely it'll turn out that you wanted it to grow more once you knew your money's potential!

Advanced tip for those who have already invested their money: Don't put your eggs in one basket, says my mom. Diversify your funds

For those who are still having problems with saving, please read number 2 again.

4. Too much time with other people or with you already know

I understand you already know how important having a me-time is. Instead of inviting a friend to a spa and have your nails done, just invite yourself alone. If you can't stand going out without talking to someone you know, talk with someone you don't know, perhaps the lady who will do your nails or a stranger sitting beside your table at a coffee shop. Trust me! I have made friends with the baristas at a few Starbucks stores and to some patrons! So probably for me, being out for coffee alone is never a problem or waiting for client or a friend like I am doing right now. :)

Being alone is perpetually different from being lonely, my friend. And the former is pretty much where you can penetrate your thoughts, cloud it up, think things through and wander through your cognition and see where your current situation is going. It also gives me a sense of independence that I don't have to necessarily run to someone to fix issues with myself. You are your own best friend, spend time with him/her more often. 

5. Social-media-hungry

"I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots." Albert Einstein

That Einstein quote alone will suffice to tell us how bad exactly it's going to be being on your smart phones or any other gadgets too often. 

I make it to a point that when meeting my friends or anyone, my mobile phone is on my pocket or in my bag with my data connection off so that only emergency messages or text gets in and any social media interactions will be dealt upon reaching home or the next day. Even spending time with my family, all gadgets are away from our sights. It is in these moments of personal, social interactions we get to appreciate the presence of our loved ones we never get through social media.

Are you always going to tweet every single move you make and with your friends? Most likely you are going to creep out when everyone who follows you know your whereabouts and what have you done, who were you with. And you won't have the right to tell them they are invading your privacy because you already gave away your privacy.

Are you always going to upload that of that lovely meal you had with your family on Instagram? Hey, your Instagram is not a menu. And most likely, you are going to be an unpaid advertiser of the restaurant, you won't get any likes as much as the restaurant makes more money. For any purpose of Instagram, it's not also a travel spoiler. Places must still have that kind of mystery where people are thrilled to go to and the online space is sometimes killing that thrill, that people have seen it online. Doesn't make any sense going there anymore. Kawawa ang turismo.

And are you also going to post a status about what you think with Deniece Cornejo? Most likely, the world won't give a damn. You may have voiced out your opinion but most of your opinions on anything might have to stay in your head so as to not get into any argument online, especially when it's not yours to argue.

6. Comparing yourself with how overly achieved other people of your age are

I've thought about this while watching Modern Family S05E14 where Alex Dunphy had a meltdown on her 16th birthday because she was already 16 and a person her age is already studying a cancer research. See, going through the pressure of seeing or knowing what others do is not healthy for your growth as a person. What is it that you pity yourself because almost half of your college classmates were merrymaking at  Sinulog Festival last weekend and you were just spending that weekend at home with your laptop and your tv.

These people you are dying to be or compete with may just put on a good show. You don't personally know what's going through with their lives. The thing is that you might have been going through the same or at least they have been there in your position and you, my dear, have to stop lurking around and just act on something what you can do or have right now. Ang buhay ay parang gulong, minsan nasa itaas, minsan nasa ibaba. Just be yourself! That's the main ingredient of living your 20s.

[nhixstatic-blog]

This guy blocking my view. Can't argue with that!