This week would’ve been Anthony Bourdain’s 66th birthday. He couldn’t get himself away from his demons. I need to live because he couldn’t anymore.
-J
Month: June 2022
Life is short, week 23 of 52
Status report: Hives, 5 out of 7 days. I’m going to need to restock antihistamines soon.
Life is short moments of the week:
1. Getting to my favorite local market. Farmer’s market has always been solid. Super fresh veggies and seafood in reasonable prices. Which meant I spent more than usual on veggies and fresh ingredients. Scored sashimi, lemons, and such fresh shrimp. Always makes me feel better, even if my wallet feels lighter.
2. My favorite Italian place in the city. In the 90s, an Italian former papparazo married a Filipina, and they opened a restaurant in Cubao Expo. It was exceptionally good that day — everything was done a la minute and served perfectly. My mom was groaning in fullness but it was only because her pants weren’t stretchy and her belt was high up. She is the most of the three of us to want to suffer for fashion.
3. The best new smell i’ve smelled in a while. While at Cubao Expo, Joannaman pointed out a candle shop she said she follows on Instagram. It was The Doctor Chandler shop. First sniff and we were hooked. Mom bought their Oxytocin scent within the first 4 minutes, while Joannaman and I spent 15 minutes smelling most of everything. We had to narrow down our likes to one, and I picked Testosterone. Joannaman didn’t buy anything, but my list of what else to try are Adrenaline, Carbon and Oxygen. I am frankly obsessed and light this candle when I wind down at the end of the day and am lying down. I will prolly do this until I get super tired of it.
Song of the week: The Story by Brandi Carlile
-J
Life is short, week 22 of 52
Status report: Little sleep = more migraines. But heart happy because of making time to get a life.
Life is short moments of the week:
1. Enjoying something on trend. Ikea opened up late last year, and my mom and sister got to it before I did. They took me last week and I enjoyed myself more than I thought it would. Mostly coz they were super pumped too. Even if I wanted to be rolled out of pallet by the time it was over. It was fun and I found things I liked that I don’t know how to install.
2. Making food for friends. I wanted to see my friends. My friends are busy people with lives that actually work in the days. I made food that took two days of prep and a lot of going around doing things, but it was worth every second. Not to mention they assembled my furniture for me. All in all 11/10 time used.
3. Nostalgic favorites. There’s a family recipe for iced tea that I never make because it takes so much time and I end up drinking a whole lot of it, and it’s sugary stuff. I took the time to make it last week and sure enough, I am still drinking it up to now. It’s not healthy but it does make me happy. Sugary drinks will be the end of me — but it helps with the hypoglycemia and short bursts of fun things.
Song of the week: Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now by Starship
-J
Life is short, week 21 of 52
Status report: Caffeine withdrawal migraines and regular hives. Aka back home and normal for my old age
Life Is Short moments of the week:
1. Being able to say goodbye, and hug loved ones I haven’t seen the past two years. It feels like a lot of my updates sound dramatic. Long story short, a great aunt passed away last week, and I was driving. We missed her passing by 30 minutes. I was feeling so bad about it, but found our later she hasn’t been conscious in three days.
While it was a sucky reason to finally be able to go home to my mom’s hometown, it was such a blessing to hug and spend time with the family, which we haven’t done since 2020(!). Hopefully no one gets sick so we can keep seeing each other.
2. Spontaneous outings. With my friends being adults (mothers, fathers, grandmothers, caregivers to seniors, etc), it takes so much to plan time together. When it came together suddenly on a Monday it was too good to worry about being awake 26 hours and counting. We ate at 6 places in 4 hours, and laughed until we got tired.
3. Food delivery. Working nights and getting caught up at work, I sometimes forget to eat until I’m almost blacking out from lack of sugar in my system. By then I’m crashing and eating so much sugary junk to catch up. It’s not healthy, and not a great feeling. So when I know I will be home most of the working week and have no time to make food, I get a full week of food delivered. It is a godsend.
Song of the week: OMW (Back Home) by Clara Benin
-J