JJ.
Category: Gratitude
What I’m grateful for, week 44 of 52
1. Meeting a friend’s newborn via Zoom. I’ve seen pictures, I’ve asked about the baby, but I finally met her this week. She was wonderful. This thing I’ve done where half the people I love will always be half the world away? Honestly hurts, but that’s what happens when you keep your heart open. People can get in. And now I have a whole new generation of loved ones across the world.
2. New food with old friends. One of my favorite couples took me out this weekend and it was fantastic. To be around them, to walk outdoors, to see beautiful things and have dope food. I know I wasn’t the best company but I was really very happy.
3. Making one of my favorite banchan. It was terrible because it was too salty, but now I know I can. Veg + sesame oil is a fantastic combination I will always try.
Song of the week: I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes) by The 1975
What are you grateful for?
What I’m grateful for, week 43 of 52
1. Gummy worms. Sounds lame, but a tub full is one of my favorite stress treats. And that’s exactly what helped me this week. Not gonna lie, a whole tub can’t be healthy, but every little bit helps.
2. Reuniting with one of my favorite shirts. After I complimented him on it, a friend literally took the shirt off his back to give to me, (of course he had another layer on) and it is now my favorite pieces of clothing. Not just because of how insanely cute the print is, but the story behind it.
3. The healing power of food. I made a whole bunch of food in a day and ate most of it myself. There’s a lot a full stomach can do. Especially when you’re working with limited choices.
Song of the week: Save Me by Aimee Mann
What are you grateful for?
What I’m grateful for, week 42 of 52
1. Being able to cook. Work has been kicking my ass lately, and it feels like one thing right after another. There are a lot of things I cannot, and will not even try to control, but being home means access to the kitchen I’ve cooked in the most. I cooked a few things this week, and the thing that I love about cooking as a concept is that it’s fairly predictable and you know you’re getting something out of it. My audience though, fairly divided. But that’s another story.
2. Negronis. My last one being in a bar in Haight-Ashbury, having a double I made this week, almost has me back in cozy season with one of my favorite people. For now, alcohol.
3. Fresh sheets. I’m still buried under a mountain of laundry and not the right weather to do it, but hey, had to do something. While my sheets will always be imperfect (because rabbits), they are mine and I do what I can to make myself comfortable.
Song of the week: Sun and Moon by Lea Salonga and Simon Bowman
What are you grateful for?
What I‘m grateful for, week 41 of 52
1. Thoughtful friends that center their care around food. This week, I got a gift card for food, my friend’s signature dish sent over, and my favorite brownies sent over. In this pandemic, the Philippines really embraced care packages of food more than ever, and if anything, I’m grateful that we still get to show our affection this way. It’s still doesn’t compare to sharing a meal together, but it helps.
2. Supportive family members. I’ve been going insane readjusting to Philippine lockdown, and i’ve not been super helpful, but I’ve gotten so much support from the fam. It’s big because I know I’ve been spoiled with being able to escape and they haven’t. It’s a lot and I don’t know how they do it. But i appreciate it. Can I do it in the same amount? Probably not. But I’ll try and do better.
3. Being able to drive again. Driving mom to errands makes me feel a smidge helpful, but I’m also very limited timing wise because of my work schedule, but we work around it. Next time I head to the states, hopefully I get my international driving license, but for now, driving in my crazy hometown is good for me.
What I’m grateful for, week 40 of 52
1. A delicious bowl of ramen. It’s been a minute, and I keep forgetting how good we have it on ramen choices here in Manila, until I travel to places where it’s a lot less hyped up, and people are less likely to crave it more often. Got myself a Ramen Nagi Green King, and it was so good. Next time, hopefully, Mendokoro.
2. An insanely good cup of coffee. A friend said they would be near a Toby’s Estate. I went manic and bought myself a hella expensive bag of Woolloo Moolloo beans from my favorite coffee place in Manila. Totally worth it, but also prolly an extremely expensive daily upgrade.
3. Great customer service. The buns get their food from Rabbito Mart, and their communications, branding, and customer service are top notch. There are even Chibi and Cheester stickers! I feel extremely lucky to have found them as suppliers, and trust them a lot.
Song of the week: Beggin’ by Mäneskin
What are you grateful for this week?
What I’m grateful for, week 39 of 52
1. Bunny time. After a while of not being with my bunnies, I finally got to hang out with them. Did I get majorly scratched because I was in their space too much and picked them up? Yes. Totally worth it. Now I get woken up at 4 am Pacific time for headrubs and sniffs, which, even at the inconvenient hour, makes my heart happy.
2. Sleeping in my own bed. It’s taking forever for it to smell as good as I want because of how long I was away, and the rainy weather when I was gone. Fresh sheets, all my pillows, and burrito-ing under the blankets, perfection.
3. Going back to my “morning” routine. Making my wrong coffee, tea, vitamin c, and filling my now twice dented “new” water bottle, makes me feel me again.
Song of the week: Finally/beautiful stranger by Halsey
What are you grateful for this week?
What I’m grateful for, week 38 of 52
1. Safe travels. It’s very scary travelling right now, but I was fortunate enough to have journeyed to my destination with little issues. Even more so, to have a whole row to myself for a long haul flight. Being able to stretch out and actually sleep a majority of it, big plus.
2. Airconditioning and a nice view. I am in isolation right now, and will be for the next week. Being stuck in one room is bad, but climate control and a way to look out to the sunrise, super helpful.
3. Sugar and caffeine. My two biggest vices (besides charming, intelligent men) and I have been abusing them this week. I’ll do less sugar soon, but caffeine will still be my partner in night shift, and if anything, these brain altering chemicals are the least of my worries.
Song of the week: Shit Show by Peter McPoland
What are you grateful for?
What I’m grateful for, week 37 of 52
1. Gorgeous food. I was fortunate enough to score tables at great places in a fun city this week, had spectacular food (which matched the bill), got the full dining experience, and for a self professed food enthusiast, was pretty fucking great.
2. An almost romantic train ride. One of these years I will do one of those beatiful train car rides to be experience it once. Getting on a train for 2 hours in a beautiful coast, on a quiet car, was really pleasant. Like a good reset.
3. Getting things done. I was not fully ready for my weekend and i had a lot of help. I truly believe my friend Anna can run a small country and not break a sweat. Family also came through with a ton of help and guidance. I travel technically alone but I always have the help of my “tribe(s)”
Song of the week: On Fire by Switchfoot
What are you grateful for?
What I’m grateful for, week 36 of 52
1. People that show up. Bar none, nothing more precious than time for other people. I’ve had so many people unexpectedly show up to more than I thought they would, and to see it makes my heart sing. I bitch a lot about fakery, but I’ve felt so much sincerity this past week, that I feel like hitting myself for being too cynical.
2. Art. Austin has so much beauty and art, and I’ve been blessed with a glimpse of it. I want to know more, feel more. I’m greedy with things that make me feel something.
3. Geeburt and Rick. Being jostled awake with those smiles started my days so well. Good people have great dogs.
4. More biking. Not nearly enough but got my blood pumping. If I could bike every day I would.
Song of the week: La La Land by Bryce Vine
What are you grateful for?