This post is dedicated to dear Loyal Reader Sharon, who wrote: "Do you still read fiction? I used to read voraciously until the start of my 40s and then my appetite for fiction just waned. The few books I read these days are comfort reads." Hi Sharon! Yes, I'm reading fiction. It's all I read now and as much as I'd like to say I read only award-winning literature or classic tomes or books that elevate the mind or the soul, I'm going to be shamelessly honest and say my literary tastes now lean towards novels that make me giggle with kilig or stimulate the nether regions.  And my favorite p ..read more

This post is dedicated to dear Loyal Reader Camella, who wrote me: "Thanks for your blog about how your 2023 was. You're so brave to share how difficult it was. I'm also going through a lot and my mental health is suffering so seeing you on the other side of this darkness is inspiring me that things really will get better. My question is how is your 2024? Are you really better?" Hi Camella, yes, this year is definitely much better in every single way. Thank you for asking! Let's list down what's improved: I've adjusted to work and I'm doing great on the job and with my co-workers.  My fa ..read more

Your first job will be a significant milestone and will mark the beginning of an important new phase in your life. But amidst the thrill of earning their own income, many first jobbers get overwhelmed with the prospect of managing their funds for the first time. You yourself may be unsure of how to manage your salary effectively, especially if you haven’t had prior experience budgeting for monthly expenses or dealing with financial obligations such as rent, bills, and loan repayments. Moreover, the allure of newfound financial freedom inevitably brings about the temptation to overspend or to m ..read more

I love this video of an experiment involving blindfolded kids picking out their moms in a lineup. Using just touch and smell, the kids all accurately picked out their mamas. I remembered this documentary I watched a long time ago, on emperor penguins coming back from the ocean, their tummies full of fish. On a vast expanse of ice, thousands of baby penguins wait, and they're all the same kind of fluffy and white, and I thought there's just no way the parents can find their baby. But they do, they do. They find their very own! I love how special each mommy felt. How unique and how loved! B ..read more

Let's make tanglad tea! For you Thai food aficionados, that's lemongrass tea! So off I went to the market and bought some tanglad leaves. And here's a photo essay on how to make some: Wash leaves. You can steep it in white vinegar if you like. Cut leaves into 1-inch sections. Bring water to a boil. Oh, this is just a pretty shot. Love all those green hues! Boil leaves for 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Then steep for 5 to 15 minutes. It depends on how strong you want the tea. Serve with calamansi and honey! Easy! Vince loves lemongrass te ..read more

Wow, I blinked, and it's already the end of April! How did that happen? This year is going so fast, so before I blink again and find it's already Christmas, let me tell you about last year.  My horrible year. My blessed year.  Yes, it can be both things at once and I hope one day, when it doesn't feel like a fresh wound anymore, I will only see 2023 as blessed.  Handa na ba kayo? I don't think I am. So I think this will be a rambling post. It's a year I'd rather forget, that's why I hardly blogged last year. That's also why I'm having a hard time telling you about it. I'm still ..read more

Lean In Network Manila, in collaboration with Origins Athletics, is excited to announce a groundbreaking event designed exclusively for moms and their children: The Moms and Kids Self-Defense Workshop. Set to take place on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at 3 PM at Origins Athletics San Juan, this event promises to be an unforgettable adventure of strength, solidarity, and empowerment. About Lean In Network Manila and Origins Athletics: Lean In Network Manila is part of the global Lean In community, inspired by Sheryl Sandberg's book "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead." It's dedicated to ..read more

Yesterday was our 17th wedding anniversary. It was also our 25th first kiss anniversary. Vince cooked 3 slabs of steak. medium rare, which is how we like it. I would've made mashed potatoes and roasted some vegetables but I had had a long day at work and so we and our three boys just ate the juicy steaks, had ice cream after, then plopped in front of the TV and had chips and chocolate-covered raisins while we watched 3 Body Problem. And that's how we celebrated our anniversary. I think we're still planning to go out this weekend. So if you see us out and about (which we do so rarely!), please ..read more

To all parents out there, kudos. Juggling between parenting and running an online business is not for the faint-hearted. While the internet has created opportunities for various online businesses, allowing many people to work from the comfort of their homes, it is a tough gig. And when you add parenting (another tough gig) to the mix, it can be challenging. The never-ending duties and responsibilities can consume your physical, mental, and spiritual resources, leaving you running on empty. Are there solutions to make the gig less tough? The trick is working smarter, not harder. In this arti ..read more

I love ChatGPT. It's like my personal assistant. "Research this for me. Compute this for me. Make an outline for me." And now I asked it to decorate my house! My prompt was describing the bones of each room first, colors that can't be undone (like my seafoam green headboard and green bathroom tiles). And then I gave it instructions on what I want for each room. And here's the result! A little too brown and gray, but I love everything else. Maybe I'll choose a navy blue or forest green sofa. Can't go with white because I have sons. Sooo pretty! I like that pale yellow, so elegant. The prom ..read more