30th

It rained the whole day today, but I was able to spend time with my family just as planned. We had lunch at our favorite Japanese restaurant, and were able to enjoy their 50% off promo. I finally satisfied the cravings I've had for weeks!

Despite being touched by the effort of those who greeted me, sent gifts and spent time with me on my birthday, I can't be completely happy knowing there are families who lost their homes, livelihoods, and some of their loved ones due to the typhoon. Luckily, there are kindhearted people who, even without being in a position of power, are willing to help. May the Lord bless them more.

Dear reader, I humbly ask that you grant me this request. Let us pray for everyone's safety, and if you have the means, please, please, please help in any way you can.

365 Words

It's not my birthday yet, but I wanted to savor the last day of my twenties. Fresh out of the shower, I slipped into my comfiest pajamas, found the liveliest birthday jams, and started writing this essay. Feeling a bit under the weather this morning, I decided to take the day off. I also wanted to spend this final day of my twenties with my family. I didn't leave the house today, and thankfully, the lab only called once.

I wanted to prepare dinner for my family but was too lazy to go out, so I had some groceries delivered via Grab. (not sponsored haha). I noticed that SM Supermarket had Tokyo Tokyo's Wagyu in their frozen section, which is my dad's favorite. It's way cheaper than buying from the fast-food chain. When it arrived, I realized it was just plain wagyu cubes without sauce. So, after cooking, I decided to make barbecue sauce from scratch, without looking up Tokyo Tokyo's Wagyu BBQ recipe. I'm proud to say my dad liked it and said it tasted like the original. I also made soup, but there's no salad today because I couldn't get to my favorite produce store.

Since last week, my sister has been asking what I wanted for my birthday. I've been stressed and a bit emotional lately, so I told her I wasn't in the mood for big celebrations. I just wanted to sleep in and have lunch or dinner with them, without thinking about work. I am fortunate that our company grants employees paid birthday leaves. So, I won't be reporting to work even though the bosses decided at the last minute to hold a meeting tomorrow. Uhm, no, no, Docs. I'd like to spend my birthday with the people who brought me to life. As you get older, birthdays don't feel as exciting as they used to. You'd rather have an intimate get-together with those you hold dear. Or maybe it's just a me thing. Lol, I'm old.

On Saturday, I'll be hanging with my cousins for some Art Therapy. It's been a while since I last painted. I've spent most of my time doing work stuff and studying, even on my days off. So, in my thirties, I plan to discover new hobbies, go out more often to hang with my closest relatives and friends, and maybe meet new ones.

I know I said there will be no drama this year, yet here I am being dramatic on the last day of my twenties. Tomorrow I won't be celebrating me; rather, I'd be celebrating the 30 years of unconditional love, abundant blessings, guidance and wisdom the Lord has given me. And of course, His best gift that I treasure most... my family.

One Year at MSMC

Today marks my 1st work anniversary at MSMC! It has been one crazy rollercoaster ride. I'm not a fan of extreme rides at theme parks, especially rollercoasters. This year felt like "Revenge of the Mummy" at Universal Studios where I was tricked into thinking it was just a so-so ride. The place is dark, making it more thrilling because you have no idea what's about to happen, then boom... the drop! I was worried my glasses would fall off, but in the end, it felt so good, and I was so proud of myself for surviving that ride.

I love my previous workplace, but after eight years, I reached a point where I felt stuck. Leaving was hard because my colleagues and doctors had become my second family, and it was the place where I grew into the medtech I am today. I was also scared because I knew I would be facing a lot of challenges. But to grow and learn, I took a leap of faith and took the offer.

A year has gone by, and I am grateful for the opportunity and trust given to me. Over this year, I have changed so much—my perspective on life and how I handle things. I love how I've learned to become more patient and chill and how I've learned to be honest and firm in keeping boundaries.

Sharing a recent elevator photo because my workmates love it when I dress up. Also, a photo of the lab girlies with our favorite ROD, a fellow katusok, who gave us donuts on his last day in the ER! Wishing him all the best in his residency and that we get to work with him again in the future.

whoa

I'm not supposed to post today,

But wow, did you really have to do that? 

Stabbed my heart again exactly a year after.

It Must Be A Scorpio Thing

Whoa! We're almost halfway through October. I'm glad I managed to post poems daily. And hah! I am so proud of how they're not just simple poems; they've got hidden messages that, if you've been following the Poetry Blog, you might have figured out already. So yeah, there are two messages— one is the poem itself, and *bleep*. I know I shouldn't have given clues, but if the message doesn't get across, then this whole thing would mean nothing. I've poured my heart, mind and soul into this project, incorporating and combining the things I love. Some were posted live, while the others were scheduled and queued. You'll see by the time stamp. :) I hope these riddles and clues ignite the flame of your curiosity and creativity and entertain you.

Decode

And just like that, the weekend is over and tomorrow is the start of another busy week. I have a few poems on queue, and wow, it's fun how I was able to sneak in some Easter Eggs.

I've incorporated my love for poetry and *bleep* (something I would not say because it's for you to figure out through the poems that I have been posting this month). A friend once advised me to stop being so cryptic and just say what I mean. But where's the fun in that? I love mystery, decoding riddles, puzzles and hidden messages. Remember how fun it was in high school, making code names that had come from the root word and then evolved into another word that is still connected to that root word but has nothing to do with the person? And then when others finally find out how it came to that code name, they laugh and you get to feel so witty. That's how it feels like when I am writing my poems.

So I hope you get to enjoy reading them. Feel free to decode them, then let me know what you've deciphered. 

The Scientist

Recently, I have been preparing at home some foods and drinks that are usually ordered in restaurants, using good quality yet affordable ingredients. Even though they will only be served in our humble dining area, I put more effort in making them presentable, appetizing and aesthetic because my parents deserve all the good things in life.

I guess it is a mix of loving food and being a scientist (FYI: Medical Technologists are also known as Medical/Clinical Laboratory Scientists) doing experiments that make me enjoy doing this. It makes me extra happy when family and friends enjoy what I make. I also get to save a little by not buying drinks from Starbs and ordering food from restos.