Last Weekend

Been busy with work, and I LOVE IT! I really thrive when I’m busy. Plus, this tetta just got promoted, so I’m feeling even more inspired. 😁

The only difference between this weekend and our other weekends is that we had breakfasts with our friends. The rest, it's the same old weekend for my husband and I. Yeah, we always do the same thing (we're boring like that!): eat out, watch TV, motorcycle rides, his basketball, my long runs every Sunday, Bentang (it's separate from "eating out" because it doesn’t feel like eating out at all, more like an extension of our house, hhahaha), and my most favorite, tambay and tabi sa kapehan. :)

Anyway, here are some pics/vids:

Breakfast with Ez, Jern, and Leo at Te Amo Cafe! It was short and looking forward to next month's!. Pic from Jern.

Motorcycle ride to Busay. I LOVED THE WIND. This is my husband’s therapy, and I’m so happy to support it, because I love it too!

With my husband’s teammates. We had breakfast at Humba Heaven. The view is amazing, and the food is good and sinful. I ate but didn’t finish the rice. I mean, one unhealthy meal won’t kill me, right? Anyway, I always love hanging out with my husband’s teammates. These young people could be my kids, but they’re super fun!

My supposed 20k long run that I didn’t finish because I started late and it was already so hot at 6:30. Anyway, I love this run because I actually ran from Pooc, Talisay to Il Corso, ON THE HIGHWAY! It’s a different experience, and I love it. My husband was tailing me on his motorcycle, like a guard, hahahaha.

We stopped at Il Corso, and I ran there for a while. I loved the view and the wind, but after a few back-and-forths, it already felt like running on a treadmill, which is blah.

Breakfast at McDonald’s Il Corso. First time trying the Cheesy McMuffin, and I love it! I tasted pesto, so I’m not sure if that’s the sauce they’re using.

I’m sooo sooo happy that my husband joined their company’s basketball league! He used to be a varsity player in high school, so he looooves the game. I mean, if you’ve been reading my blog, I’m sure you can already tell.

Anyway, here's his rebound! He’s worked hard on his cardio, and now he can actually run back and forth on the court without feeling like he’s dying. So happy for him and so proud! 💕

My husband’s basketball team. Yup, only five of them showed up for this game, no substitutions for this bunch. They lost, obviously, but it was still a good game!

My favorite person to hang out with! 💕

Alright, gotta go! 'Til next blog! 💛

Dear Diary...

WARNING: Long post and unorganized thoughts/emotions 😁

“Pieces of Me” by Ashlee Simpson has always been one of those songs I super duper love. I know it’s also the infamous song that made her infamous (that SNL moment, yiup), but honestly, I’ve never cared about that part.

RUNNING..
Hello to my running girlies! I just wanna know, do you wear makeup before running? On Sundays, I do wear makeup before I run, just a little blush and lip balm. And here’s the funny part, when I start running, my cheeks turn all flushed and pink. By the end, after sweating it all out, the makeup’s gone, leaving just a pale pink “natural” glow. I know it’s not really natural, but I still keep doing it. It’s funny to me, and I don’t think it’s bad, just one of those little quirks.

I recently signed up for RUNNA, a running app that I like because it also includes the strength exercises I need to improve my runs. And it’s cheap, less than 200 pesos a month (Netflix costs more!). Thanks to RUNNA’s plan, my longest run so far is 9K, and surprisingly, it felt easy. Maybe it was also my shoes that day, my Puma Deviate Nitro 3, which has great cushioning and energy return. Whatever the reason, that run felt really good.

If you don't want to spend money, I highly recommend NRC. I trained 5k using their plan and it worked! 

Link: 5k Training Using NRC Plan (8 weeks)

LEARNING, LEADERSHIP, AND SIBLINGS (?!)..

Work has been a lot of fun lately, and by fun, I mean busy. If you know me, you know how much I love my job and my team. This week was full of collaboration with both my team and leadership, and I couldn’t be prouder of everything we’ve accomplished.

This was during my birthday celeb. Thanks, Iresh, for the photo!

Today marks the end of the week, almost like the culmination of everything we’ve worked on. I can’t wait for it to be over, but I’m also very proud of how it went and what I learned. I feel a little sad the week is ending, but as always, I’m happy for the weekend. Not just to rest, but to spend a full weekend with my husband! ♥

I've always looooooved our wedding invite! 

The reason I love training is because I love learning. Whenever I’m with someone I look up to or a leader I want to emulate, I’m always in observation mode. I watch how they talk, lead, act in meetings, and stay authentic. That’s how I’ve learned from the mentors I’ve had.

A lot of who I am as a leader now comes from them, plus from my current boss. But lately, I’ve been seeing my leadership in a new light. Learning from my team has become just as fun. I’m mesmerized by how brilliant they are, not afraid to voice opinions, collaborative, and helpful. Being able to hear their ideas, develop them, and turn them into something beautiful feels like magic.

I’ve always been surrounded by brilliant people. My siblings are some of the smartest people I know, and so are my parents. Growing up, it was always fun outsmarting each other for the easier chores, to control the TV remote, or to get favors from our parents. We even created our own rules, like who cleans what, or what the “remote control” rules were. We figured it all out ourselves, with a lot of shady moves and mind tricks, and without needing our parents to intervene. There’s always been some sort of “order” in our home, one we figured out ourselves.

Now, as adults, that teamwork hasn’t gone away. These days, my siblings and I are focused on protecting our mother at all costs. Whenever something heavy or not-so-good is happening in our lives, we always talk first: does Mama need to know now? What’s the perfect timing? Who should be there when we tell her? She knows everything, but we do our best to protect her heart. It’s the same teamwork from when we were kids,  just with higher stakes and deeper love.

we miss you everyday, papa!

GOODBYES..

As a leader, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to saying goodbye to a team member, whether they move to another team, leave, or take a higher post. I care deeply about my team, so it’s always hard. At the same time, I know it’s part of the job. People come and go. It’s never going to be easy, but I try to be genuinely happy for them. 

Goodbyes with people I’m close to can be emotional. I might even cry if I say goodbye face-to-face. Being their leader has always been real. and the joy I feel far outweighs the few sad moments ("c'mon!" - they know this! 😁).

Even though these moments are hard, I’ve accepted that it’s part of the journey. It’s part of what I signed up for, and I’m here for it. But, it's sad.. 

MY BRAIN, AND FOOD..

My brain almost killed me, as you all know from my previous posts. I notice my brain doesn’t lag anymore. Sure, I feel tired by the end of a long, focused day, especially if I’ve been using it nonstop during my shift. But I take my lunches and breaks seriously, and the fatigue always fades after a run, pilates, strength training, or yoga. I’m really impressed by the changes in how I think now. It’s crazy, in the best way! Although I'm a little bit forgetful but it could just be the age. I hope!

One thing that surprises me is that I honestly don’t crave fatty food anymore. I look forward to going home for my cup of monggos, roasted fish, and kimchi. That’s really crazy for me! The only thing I still crave, and I’ve mentioned this since 3-4 blogs ago, is pancit from Bentang. Sundays just aren’t complete without it.

Typical everyday balon when I have a run. Isn't my yellow notebook the cutest? Thanks, Ez!

BKFC..

Lately I’ve been watching a lot of fights from the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships. I’ve been a fight fan ever since I can remember, thanks to my father and my brothers who influenced me. I’ve watched a ton of boxing and MMA fights, both live and on TV. But bare knuckle fighting is a whole different world. The fights are short, obviously, since they don’t have gloves, and while I love the slugfest, the knockouts, and the sheer rawness of it, I can’t say I love the blood part. What really pulls me in is seeing just how much strength one person can have, to the point where it feels like it could literally kill someone with one clean shot.

Hubby and I with my idol, Edward Folayang, about 10 years ago at the Team Lakay gym. It was so awesome watching him actually teach MMA classes in person! He's so nice!

At the same time, I miss the technical aspect that’s more visible in boxing and MMA. If you’re a technical fighter, I honestly feel like you don’t stand much of a chance in bare-knuckle, it’s just too straightforward. Still, I give all the kudos to those fighters because what they’re doing is incredibly brave. The women fighters especially, I can’t even imagine stepping into a ring without gloves on. Personally, I’d never do it, no matter how much I love combat sports. My worry is always about the long term effects when they grow old. Still, as a fan, I have to admit I’ve had a lot of fun watching. It’s raw, it’s intense, it’s something else entirely.

And that's it! 'Til next blog! 💛

Solo

I spent Sat-Sun without my husband. His team is having a team building activity in Bohol, and if you know me, I never join those. I want my husband to really enjoy without thinking about me, especially after my stroke. I MISS HIM!!!!!

Right now, I'm in Kaayoo Cafe and it's so silent. I'm alone and not used to not having him to talk to about everything, or eavesdrop or just gossip!

This is what I'm having here.

I think this is the most post-stroke friendly food item they have. I was gonna go to Birdseed Breakfast Club but they open late and I’m hungry, so here I am. It's clean. It's silent. It's 8AM so that could be why. The embutido is not dry. I didn't eat the rice and just ate half the embutido and eggs.

Anyway, yesterday after driving my husband and his teammate to Pier 3, my team and I went to IT Park for karaoke. I was afraid I couldn’t handle the noise, especially the bass from the speakers. I was so hesitant to go in and was thinking of walking out the whole time, but I kept thinking about the quote that says not to avoid something just because you’re afraid. So I observed for a little while and actually began enjoying the noise.

My team is hilarious and I was trying so hard not to exert so much energy because I don’t want to go home with just 5% body battery left. I’m a changed person now. Before, I used to still do my long runs with just that much. Yeah, I did abuse my body, but definitely not anymore.

After that we went to Taoist Temple. I’ve been there probably almost 20 years ago. I forgot it had looooong stairs! We made it to the top but not without a few minutes' rest and my knees shaking. My gosh! I need to do an incline walk!

Thanks, Irish, for the photo!

After that I went to an empty and silent home. It's so different without my husband there. I watched some episodes of Desperate Housewives (which I’ve rewatched more than 10 times) and ate my leftover roasted chicken breast, kimchi, utan Bisaya, and lugaw. Had a looong sleep after that.

At around 3:30 AM this morning, I ate my pre-run oatmeal and a slice of wheat bread with peanut butter.

This is my run today!

There’s a running event in Ayala, so I had to park at the office. Sooo happy with my run. This is my longest, even pre-stroke, and I am not tired at all! I walked the first 10 minutes, jogged for 20, walked for 5, and jogged for 20 (repeated 2x).

After here, I’ll again go home to a silent home. Uli na, tweet! 😁

Update: Okay. So I didn't go home. I went grocery shopping for the prep meals. Happy Sunday! Now I'm home. Here's the pic I sent to my husband to show off!

'Til next blog! 💛

September Recap

September just came to a close, and I couldn't be happier about it. I've always followed my annual horoscope, and last year, I knew September was going to be shitty for me, but it turned out to be even worse than expected. I felt a bit burnt out at work, which was terrible timing since I had so much on my plate! Normally, I'm used to working nonstop from 8 to 5, but this was a whole different level of exhaustion. To make matters worse, I had to tackle all the tasks on my to-do list from the end of August because that's when everything started to go awry. You can definitely tell this Tetta (auntie) is feeling pretty worn out! As I said, I'm so relieved it's over. Now, I'm ready to embrace October with open arms. There's always a sense of relief when a new month begins, a fresh start. I've managed to catch up on things I was supposed to do last month, and I'm giving myself a pat on the back for that. Also, just to clarify, I work for a company and have a boss who truly respects work-life balance, so I haven't had any take-home work.

Obviously, I haven't had much time to blog lately. What I've been doing during my free time is spending quality moments with my husband. I also juggle running, walking, and Zumba sessions with my neighbors every Tuesday and Thursday. So, consider this a laid-back update where I'm just sharing some of the photos I've taken. By the way, my new phone is AMAZING, and I now weigh 70 kg (I've lost 4 kg)! So, despite everything, I still feel incredibly blessed. I've always been lucky and grateful. Speaking of blessings, MY HUSBAND IS THE BEST. Seriously, I don't know what I'd do without him! 

Okay, here are some pics and videos I captured last month.

RANDOM PICS:

I absolutely loved this, but I'm glad it's finally gone! It was the downfall of my diet!

The entrance to the neighborhood. Nice, right?

We don't eat carbs! 🤣

Time to put these back into their boxes! Do you guys also do that?

My Zumba ladies! Look, if I can be even half as vibrant as these women when I reach their age, I’ll be happy!

RIDE TO BALAMBAN (Zero Visibility):

Look at that happy face! He's thrilled he got the Zero Visibility stuff.

With our cousin, Tit. We had to snap this picture as proof that we took this route to Balamban.

Here we are! 12 years together with my bestest friend! Look at that fog..

TOPS:

We went there at around 3am so imagine looking at the city lights, with the cool breeze, no crowd, and with the Tweetweet! One of the best!

Not really the best photo but this shows my jawline. Enough said! 😁

Alright! That's all for today. 'Til next blog! 💛

What's In My Office Bag (char!)

It took me forever to finally hit 'publish' because, honestly, the 41-year-old me cringed a little at the thought. But here I am, putting it out there anyway. So, here it goes:

2010 Bag (Nine West Tote):

• Yellow Wallet
• Efficascent oil
• Phone
• Keys
• Nescafe
• Eyeglasses
• Maybelline foundation
• Hair brush
• Avon Lipstick (golden wine ultra rich moisture 24k Gold lipstick)
• Bedazzled perfume from Beauty control
• VS Lotion (pear glace)
• Versace bright crystal perfume
• ID
• Red Clamp

2024 Bag/s (Herschel Backpack/Adidas Shoe Bag)

I never owned a huge backpack, just those cutesy ones that can't even hold an A5 notebook, until two years ago. I used to totally overlook how convenient they are, but now I’m obsessed! They’ve become my everyday go-to bag!

The Adidas bag is for my walking shoes and gym clothes, usually a pair of stretchy leggings and one of my husband's basketball jerseys. I hit the treadmill almost every day at the office.

My main bag contains the following:

• Laptop, Smiley mousepad, mouse
• Hair Brush
• Make-up (6 lipsticks on rotation and mascara)
• Planner and Notebook
• Pen Pouch (Pens and Highlighters)
• Big Pouch (contents and pic below)
• Pair of Eyeglasses
• My perfume at the moment (Elizabeth Arden - Sunflowers)
• Dry Shampoo from Bench

Big Pouch: 

• Purple Mirror
• Ear Pods from Miniso (cheap and good enough!)
• Alcohol/Sanitizer
• Face Powder (My foundation era didn't last long.)
• Ever Bilena Cheek Stain
• Yves Rocher Hair Something (I use it for just its smell because according to Gabriel Solis, you don't want your hair smelling like hair! hahaha) 
• Wallet
• Floss
• Vicks Inhaler (even when I don't have clogged nose)
• Lipstick, Lip Balm, and yet another lipstick (why??)
• Vaporine (super duper fave)
• Charger cords (phone, mouse, watch)
• Car Keys

And that’s the scoop on what’s stashed in my bag, from everyday must-haves to those quirky little extras. I hope you enjoyed this little peek into my everyday life. 

What about you? What’s in your bag that you can’t live without? Let’s chat in the comments. I’m always curious to see what everyone else is toting around!

Thanks for tagging along! 'Til next blog! 💛

I Have No Title Idea (may be edited when I do)

--Shell Robinsons Mobility Station--

Man, they really need to update their Google directory information. They’re open 24 hours! Just Google "Shell Robinsons Mobility Station - Galleria Cebu City" and see for yourself.

One of the perks of my job now is understanding the importance of accurate information online. I’ve become quite tech-savvy (😜 -- NOT!). Speaking of work, it’s been a rough week, but before diving into that, I want to give a shoutout to this gas station because it's so clean! The restroom even smells like a spa. It's been my husband’s and my favorite spot since last year. Sometimes, when we wake up in the middle of the night due to our graveyard shift schedule, we head there for a very late-night or very early-morning "dinner." We just get two 3-in-1 coffees and a bag of chips, all for less than Php100. Talk about bang for your buck! Here are some of my other favorites:

Banana Custard - Php155, 3-n-1 Coffee - Php15. This used to look like the onset pic. Apologies for my photo editing skills! 

Pastry Sheet with Custard (not really its name) - Php145, Bearbrand Swak mixed with Nescafe stick - Php40.

Their prices have skyrocketed. Like their Chicken Turnover, it used to be less than Php150 and now it's almost Php200. It's delish though. 

So, ok. Balancing the company's needs with my team's has been like trying to juggle a dozen plates. It's challenging.  I've always understood this, but being in the thick of it is a whole different story. It's a constant dance between meeting deadlines, keeping spirits high, and ensuring everyone feels supported. They say not to take it personally, but when you care deeply about your team, it's tough not to. Right now, it just feels like my team is bearing the brunt of the negative aspects at work, which isn't fun for me as their leader. 

But here’s the thing: my team’s resilience is absolutely amazing! They always find reasons to laugh and celebrate, making work not just productive but downright fun! And there I am, in my corner, listening to them, waving my invisible pom-poms, and cheering them on like a proud leader, which I am.

Wow! I thought this was going to be a "rant" blog but somehow, I'm feeling inspired instead. I guess I don't really have a reason to rant after all. Tsk.

Anyway, here are some pics we took the past days during our meetings.

Email Training Project. Thanks to one of the trainers for this pic.

Weekly Sync. Thanks to one of the trainers for this pic. 

Okay, it's 7:46AM, it's a Saturday. I'm gonna go home now because the Bana's going to be home anytime soon. Always excited to spending quality time with him! 'Til next blog!

And Just Like That...

I AM NOW 40! Actually turning 41 this year but what's the difference, right? 😜 At this stage of life, I wear many hats. Each role brings its own joys and challenges, shaping who I am today.

As a Wife - I feel so lucky to have a husband who makes me laugh every day. Seriously! Can you imagine being with someone for over ten years and not sharing laughter? To this day, I think our wedding was the biggest challenge we faced as a couple. They say it can either make or break a relationship, and I'm proud to say ours made ours stronger!

with my husband and my fading blue lipstick

As a Daughter - My relationship with my parents has grown into a close friendship since I became an adult. Losing my father when I was 28 was the hardest moment of my life, and it took a long time to come to terms with it. Luckily, my mother is still with us, and she's the strongest person I know. My siblings and I all look up to her like a queen, and I've learned a lot about life from her.

taken 1m years ago

As an Auntie - Gosh, I looove my nieces and nephew. They're my children! 😍

As a Career Woman - Guiding my awesome team, watching them grow, and seeing the impact of all our efforts light me up. At 40, I've hit my stride professionally. Years of learning the ropes have made me resilient, adaptable, and hungry for more knowledge. I'm fortunate to be employed by a company that values maintaining a healthy balance between work and personal life.

celebrating Jim's birthday

So... Here I am, embracing the fabulous 40s with open arms and huge appetite! Life has its curveballs but with laughter, love, determination, and a whole lot of buffets, I've navigated through them all. I am thankful for the lessons learned, the bonds strengthened, and the adventures yet to come. BRING.IT.ON.