SB App and Card

Starbucks App recently updated so when I caught up, I couldn't log in after. I tried to retrieve my password but I haven't received any email yet. It's annoying because I'm usually hanging out at Starbucks for its stickers. As you know, 100 stars grants you free drink or pastry of choice.

I do have the physical card but I left it at home. I wonder how much I have in there so I could plan what to eat.

But I did buy coffee despite the mishap.

Caffeine Surge

Haven't had coffee or anything with caffeine these past 10 days that my first intake gives me an unusual anxiety. At least it's only physical, though it may have been aggravated by my current thoughts and emotions.

I actually have to drink osmanthus tea to calm myself. This new favourite drink somehow soothes me, though I'm not sure if it actually has that effect or if it's just personal. I love sipping a hot osmanthus tea, which I usually brew with butterfly pea and honey. I'm having a plain one this time. This anxiety feels a little urgent. Or maybe I'm just being lazy.

It doesn't help that I haven't read from Mo Dao Zu Shi manhua's the current The Untamed episode that I am watching. And I don't remember this in the donghua. So the live-action was adapted from the novel. Now I'm a little itchy to read it. I hope it's available in WebNovel.

Reminds me though, perhaps the T2 matrix also keeps me tachycardic. I initially thought my duty will start on the 18th. Good thing I check our Viber group and found out I'm off for work tomorrow. No wonder the shuttle service schedule didn't match, with what I thought. I was hoping I could sleep late again tonight. Okay, I didn't sleep late. I actually slept a little past 4 o'clock. Talk about supposed normalizing my body clock. Perhaps I could learn from Lan Wangji.

I wonder what's in store at the borders tomorrow. By the way, my caffeine induced anxiety still lingers.

Now Playing: Do As Infinity - Fukai Mori

14 May 2017

I love going to (and of course buying from) homegrown shops. I feel like I’m significantly and consciously contributing to the Philippine economy. 😉 The thought of being another customer of the shop helps the business stay and be sustainable makes me happy. 👍 Although foreign-owned enterprises still provide jobs (Thank you, foreign investors!!), Filipino-owned shops obviously go domestic to get their raw materials, etc., at least mostly.

If I would spend 💰💰 I’d rather do so on  Filipino products. Makes me feel less guilty. 😏 I still buy foreign products but I stick to Filipino First Policy. 😇

Para sa ekonomiya! ☕

It’s also good to know that Cafe De Lipa is still here at Market! Market!. Late college days or post-college pa nandito ang shop na ito. It’s been years! Congratulations!! 🎉

Alien feels

Posted on May 8, taken after attending the Sunday service. I haven't eaten dinner so I got hungry and had to grab something that won't disappoint my tummy and wallet. Thus, Subway..

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When you are tan/morena while all the other customers in the sandwich pub you’re eating at and those passing by outside are yellow-skinned, it’s good to see MontAlbo massage spa just across the street with Baybayin on its signage (though not obvious in this pic). I’m assured that I’m still in the Philippines. ☕

I almost wondered if I was going to see Dr. Kang and Cpt. Yoo as well as Ji and Kim (though the thought of seeing Wang and the younger Kim was more exciting). 

#WhenInMakati.

Thoughts at Cafe de Lipa

This is basically a copy+paste from my IG post last Sunday. Most of them.

I love going to (and of course buying from) homegrown shops. I feel like I’m significantly and consciously contributing to the Philippine economy. 😉 The thought of being another customer of the shop helps the business stay and be sustainable makes me happy. 👍 Although foreign-owned enterprises still provide jobs (Thank you, foreign investors!!), Filipino-owned shops obviously go domestic to get their raw materials, etc., at least mostly. 

If I would spend 💰💰 I’d rather do so on Filipino products. Makes me feel less guilty. 😏 I still buy foreign products but I stick to Filipino First Policy. 😇

Para sa ekonomiya! ☕

It’s also good to know that Cafe De Lipa is still here at Market! Market! Late college days or post-college pa nandito ang shop na ito. It’s been years! Congratulations!! 🎉

Now Playing: IU ft. G-Dragon - Palette

CBTL Cup

There's just something catchy about Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's paper cup. I said catchy because it draws my attention, like I could look at it for hours. Well, I am an INTP.

This makes me look forward to my next cup of coffee or tea from CBTL. I wonder when would that be.

Monday Night Thoughts

Following the realization that, yeah, I have a love-hate relationship with my extroverted intuition (Ne), I kind of became aware of the unspoken pressure the society and other people are putting on me.

I am not fond of normal things. Or better say, I can't always yield to it by default. However, there still is something good and beneficial about following some normal things. I guess for one is being relieved from pressure. I'm not really sure any more. Perhaps it's rooted on the human need for sense of security.

Things are getting blurry, even the visions I used to see. I was or rather have been feeling overwhelmed that I suddenly found myself while at the pantry early remembering things that got me started in the first place.

In one particular area of my life, I remembered why I agreed and stuck myself at my current work. The (re)start was not easy but I figured I dreamed of this. I wanted this. Looking back, I told myself that "this is my dream job." While at the pantry making coffee, I remembered Jon Bennett and Erin McCoy. Both inspired me and got me into this business.

Life.

After making coffee at the pantry, my mind led me to think of someone in particular. My INTJ friend knows about this. This person used to be a troublesome one but after meeting my INTJ friend and telling her of my troubles, things have gone better and easier. Indeed, there's something good when one resorts to verbalization.

Right now I am back being bothered by the pressure that has been haunting me recently. What a way to go.

Now Playing: Coldplay - Viva La Vida

Sleepless Saturday. Almost.

Saturday gave me a very interesting day. Interesting, this time however, translates to sleepless.

I went straight to HotLG in Pasig City for the end of the 3-day P&F, which was followed by a short meal then on for the Shabbat service. As it was a birthday Saturday for those born in November, there was a special treat for our senior pastor. She was born in November.

The food we had was a typical Filipino carbs on carbs. Yes, literally. Not complaining though. It's our thing. It actually made me wonder how I would have dinner with teh family as we're scheduled for a dinner at SM Aura before watching Annie the musical.

Scrap SM Aura as we went straight to the Newport Mall. I was still full so I only had cappuccino and macadamia cake. I was supposed to have a pistachio cake but turned out it was no longer available.

When I tried the cake, I felt bad for it. It seemed like no one wanted it until it was offered to me (as alternative for the pistachio). It was good. But I guess if no one wanted you it'll show one way or another.

It was a pretty cake. If my digestive system was only at its best last night, I would devour it without a trace. I would even have had a meal. Well, "if."

The cappuccino was pretty frothy. Fine with me. I think it was also the first time I had an art-coffee. However, I fell in love with their cookie. The side cookie. It was so tasty I could cry, but I didn't.

After our dinner at Cafe Maxims, we went straight to the theatre for Annie musical. The last time I watched a musical was back on September 2014 in Baguio.

It was quite a busy day since I left the office so it's obvious that I didn't get to have a proper sleep. I had on and off naps while on the road but that's it.

I think Annie musical was interesting. I was wondering who authored Annie. There was that great depression feels and a looming world war. Or maybe I was just particularly curious from the start. I don't know.

I'm not going to write a review or any reaction about it. Perhaps some other time, if I'm in the mood or if I remember.

This was me after watching Annie and very much longing for bed and sleep. Even now.

Of coffee and the Pascuals at the grocery

I set my alarm earlier so I could wake up, of course, and have enough time to prepare for work later. It was supposed to give me 4 hours of sleep, if I stick to 'schedule.' However, I woke up in just almost two hours having remembered a dream that involved these: grocery, coffee, Iñigo Pascual, and Piolo Pascual.

Grocery. I was in a grocery shopping for some items but I only remembered having decided to purchase the Blend 45 brown coffee. I was also checking the Knorr seasoning in cubes. I was actually reading the ingredients!

Iñigo Pascual. I was sitting in a corner when I noticed Iñigo Pascual roaming around offering/convincing people to buy this particular brand of coffee. Unfortunately, I can't remember the brand. I was sitting in one place reading something and grabbed a pack from his hand and put it in my basket then continued reading.

Piolo Pascual. I was still reading, perhaps a magazine, when someone suddenly stood in front of me. I took a peek from my magazine and saw that it was Piolo Pascual. He was holding a box of powdered milk with red (?) cover something. He was trying to convince me to purchase it too. 

The talk eventually led to a question if I recognized the other people "endorsing" the product. Their faces were actually on the rear part of the box. I said I kind of recognize one of the four but I can't remember her name. I said I think it's Nicole. Piolo then asked me if I remember one of her projects. I was about to say something but it's a GMA project, with Rhian Ramos on it, so I kept mum for the mean time.

Checking now, the person's name is actually Cai Cortez.

Now I wonder, are the Pascuals endorsing a coffee brand?

Chest Pain

I'm having (left) chest pain now, which began around 10:30PM. Not really sure/can't remember if I had it earlier. But based on what I remember, it's been 16 minutes now. It feels like my chest is being compressed, sometimes sideways sometimes like from the top but more on the former. Anatomically, it's dominant on the right central portion of my chest. There's no radiating pain to my left arm but as I assessed, just now, there's a hint of pain that goes back.

Recalling this morning's events, I remember holding my nape many times because it was hurting. As for diet, I had foccacia with turkey ham and pickled relish for brunch/early lunch. I also had sunny side up fried in coconut oil. And before going to work tonight, I bought a medium-sized coffee from 7-Eleven. It's a French Vanilla coffee.

Jeez. I've been grimacing a lot for the past five minutes. The chest pain. 

2252H-2301H. During every minute within this time period, it felt like a hard blunt stick (I'm imagining a steel bar) pressed on my chest. Can't remember where exactly, but the recent one felt like on the upper portion. Not sure if it's the left or right atrium. I'll try to figure it out with a test...

24 July 2016

This day marked my 11th month with BPI.

I made a little 'celebration' to commemorate the day by having tea and cake. How British. I should've had a black coffee and something Jewish or at least Mediterranean.

Havin’ a cup of #Tea and a slice of #VanillaTigerRoll for a mini-celebration.With my journal and #HappyJar that witnessed 11 months of #VisionAndPerseverance. Because someone saw somethin’ I did not. #BlackPearlConsultancy

Indeed, it had been 11 months of perseverance and adherence to a vision. Working back at BPI is sort of a dream come true. I didn't technically wished to be back but I hoped for something, which I've been doing these past months.

How so? It all began after I finished reading The Last Jihad series, which I completed in June 2014. I wondered what it'd be like to be in the shoes of Jon Bennett and Erin McCoy. Of course, minus the former's tough experience in Jerusalem prior to his assignment and the latter's... I don't know. McCoy is my favourite character in The Last Jihad. 

Patience is a virtue indeed and I thank God for allowing me to have this experience.

I also remember an encounter with our managing director months before I came back to BPI. I saw him at the Legazpi Sunday Market at the first half of last year. I approached him just to say hi. He said I looked familiar. Wooh..

Now Playing: Howie Day - Collide

Triggered by Coffee

I am taking a short break by writing a blog entry because I am currently having minute palpitations. It's the coffee. I just finished sipping Blend 45 Barako coffee but it's not really the main cause. The coffee's more like a trigger.

When you're obsessive and compulsive, impatient and quite perfectionist... this is nothing unusual. But it still is something bothersome.

Part of the song I am listening right now says, "I hear be still..." Yeah. I have to be still, for this thing I am feeling and having right now is only the beginning. It's an INTP and INTJ thing. Oh, I recently found out that I can be INTP and sometimes INTJ. It's like my temperament. I'm primarily melancholic-choleric but could go choleric-melancholic at times. I could even go melancholic-phlegmatic. I've been mainly choleric lately and for a time now.

Now Playing: Rebecca St. James - Desperate for You