Finding My Way Back to Words

Dear Readers, Thank you for visiting my blog once again. It has been quite some time since I last wrote here, and the silence was not intentional. Life has a way of pulling us in directions we do not expect, and sometimes writing has to wait. My pause began with the loss of my father.… Continue reading Finding My Way Back to Words

A Lesson in Kindness and Rising Above Cruelty

Today, something happened that stayed with me long after we left the restaurant. What was supposed to be a simple family meal turned into a moment that tested my patience, my emotions, and my beliefs about kindness. We were sitting at our table, enjoying the meal and each other’s company. Our little daughter, who is… Continue reading A Lesson in Kindness and Rising Above Cruelty

Baby Bella and the Language of Love

There are many ways to say I love you, and in our home, we say it through names. I never realized how full of affection language could be until I became a mother. My daughter, Isabella, answers to so many names that sometimes even she laughs trying to keep up. To me, she is Isabella,… Continue reading Baby Bella and the Language of Love

Happy 74th Birthday, Mama!

Today marks my mother’s 74th birthday, and as I sit down to write this, I find myself filled with a quiet kind of gratitude. It’s the kind that settles deep inside when you realize how far someone has come and how much they’ve endured just to be here today. My mother has seen more than… Continue reading Happy 74th Birthday, Mama!

The Instant Response of a Toddler

One of the most delightful things about watching a toddler grow is noticing the little details that adults often overlook in themselves. My husband and I are constantly amazed by how quick our daughter is to respond. She is only two years old, yet her reaction time feels almost superhuman. Whatever we ask, whatever we… Continue reading The Instant Response of a Toddler

A First Masterpiece on Canvas

There are moments in parenthood that feel so simple on the surface yet carry a weight that makes you stop, breathe, and smile with your whole heart. On the 15th of this month was one of those moments. At just two and a half years old, my little artist created her very first abstract painting… Continue reading A First Masterpiece on Canvas

The Moment My Daughter Called Me Supermom

The other day, something happened that I know I’ll remember for the rest of my life. It was just a small moment, the kind that probably looks ordinary from the outside. But to me, it felt like a light shining through all the stress I’d been carrying. A moment so full of love and truth,… Continue reading The Moment My Daughter Called Me Supermom

The Flood Control Scam: How Corruption Stole ₱421 Billion

Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio recently called the flood control scam the biggest corruption scandal in Philippine history. Bigger than any scandal during Martial Law. Bigger than all the other stories of corruption that have angered Filipinos for decades. Hearing something like that makes you stop and wonder — how can something this massive… Continue reading The Flood Control Scam: How Corruption Stole ₱421 Billion

The Hidden Impact of Being Around Negative People

We’ve all met them. That one person in the office, on the street, or maybe even at a family gathering who always seems to carry a dark cloud around them. No matter how good the day is, they’ll find something to complain about. Maybe it’s the weather, the food, the boss, or even just life… Continue reading The Hidden Impact of Being Around Negative People

The Different Kinds of Coffee

I do not drink coffee because it gives me palpitations, but I often find myself around people who love it. They talk about lattes, americanos, flat whites, and more, and I used to just nod along without having any idea what those drinks actually were. It always made me feel a little out of place.… Continue reading The Different Kinds of Coffee

BDSO and Its Impact on Cash Flow

Accounts receivable management is a key part of keeping a business financially healthy. One important metric that helps measure efficiency in collecting receivables is BDSO, or Best Possible Days Sales Outstanding. What is BDSO? BDSO stands for Best Possible Days Sales Outstanding. It measures how quickly a company can collect receivables in an ideal situation… Continue reading BDSO and Its Impact on Cash Flow

The Curious Pull of Schadenfreude

There is a strange feeling that often sits quietly in human nature, one that we rarely admit out loud but almost everyone has experienced. It is the small sense of satisfaction that arises when someone else faces a setback, especially if that person seemed too fortunate, too confident, or too untouchable. The Germans gave this… Continue reading The Curious Pull of Schadenfreude

Crab Mentality: The Mindset That Holds Us Back

In many parts of the world, people share a story about crabs in a bucket. If you put a single crab in a bucket, it can probably climb out. But if you put several crabs together, none of them escape. As soon as one tries to climb out, the others pull it back down. No… Continue reading Crab Mentality: The Mindset That Holds Us Back

Delegation and the Johari Window: Finding Clarity in Work and Communication

Delegation is one of those words that often makes people think of leadership seminars, corporate training sessions, or motivational posters about teamwork. In reality, it is something that shows up in almost every aspect of life. We all face the choice between doing something ourselves or asking someone else to take it on. Parents delegate… Continue reading Delegation and the Johari Window: Finding Clarity in Work and Communication

How Paraphrasing and Setting Priorities Can Transform Your Workday

In any workplace, success is not only about technical expertise or how many hours you put in. The way you communicate and how you decide what matters most often determine your effectiveness. Two underrated yet highly practical skills in this area are paraphrasing and setting priorities. At first glance, they may seem unrelated, but together… Continue reading How Paraphrasing and Setting Priorities Can Transform Your Workday

Bon Appetit, Your Majesty: A Delightful Start

Some dramas take their time to draw you in, while others feel irresistible from the very beginning. Bon Appetit, Your Majesty belongs in the second category. I started it without expecting much more than an entertaining watch, but after just four episodes I’m completely hooked. There’s something instantly engaging about the way it blends romance,… Continue reading Bon Appetit, Your Majesty: A Delightful Start

When the Earth Shook Afghanistan Again

When the news came that more than two thousand people had died in an earthquake in Afghanistan, I felt a quiet heaviness in my chest. It is hard to believe that life can change so completely in a single moment, that in the place many are still trying to heal from past turmoil, another calamity… Continue reading When the Earth Shook Afghanistan Again

A New Player in German Banking: My Thoughts After Reading the News

When I first came across the article about JPMorgan expanding into Germany’s retail banking market, I paused for a moment. Banking is something we all deal with almost daily, often without thinking too much about it, and yet it shapes so much of how we handle our money and plan for our future. Reading about… Continue reading A New Player in German Banking: My Thoughts After Reading the News

A Gentle Reflection on Lisbon’s Tragedy

When I first read about the accident in Lisbon, my heart sank in a way that words barely capture. The Gloria funicular, a historic cable car that has been carrying people for generations, turned into a place of terror on a September evening. A cable is believed to have snapped and the carriage sped out… Continue reading A Gentle Reflection on Lisbon’s Tragedy

Why I Believe Harry and Meghan Face Unfair Criticism

When I read comments about Harry and Meghan, I often notice how quickly people dismiss their experiences. Some claim that the royal family has not said anything against them directly, so the couple should not feel attacked. But from my perspective, that argument does not capture the bigger picture. The truth is the royal family… Continue reading Why I Believe Harry and Meghan Face Unfair Criticism

Like a Post-it Note

Post-it notes are small. They’re light, easy to overlook, and yet somehow, they’re everywhere. You’ll find them clinging to the edge of a computer monitor, tucked between book pages, or stuck to a refrigerator with a scribbled reminder. People grab them without thinking. They’re convenient, disposable, and quietly useful. And sometimes, we feel just like… Continue reading Like a Post-it Note

The Person Everyone Depends On But Rarely Thanks

There is always that one person in every workplace, family, or group of friends who seems to carry more than her share of weight. She is not the one with the highest position or the most authority, yet somehow she ends up being the one who keeps everything moving. She runs errands no one else… Continue reading The Person Everyone Depends On But Rarely Thanks

When Corruption Steals a Nation

Corruption has become so normal in the Philippines that many no longer react with shock. People expect it. They talk about it over meals, in schools, on the streets, even joke about it like it’s just part of daily life. But behind the jokes and casual conversations, there is a deep pain. A country full… Continue reading When Corruption Steals a Nation

Why People Who Aren’t Happy With Themselves Are Mean to Others

It’s not always easy to understand why people treat others badly. Sometimes it seems like certain people are just mean for no reason. But if you look closer, a pattern often shows up. Many of the people who are harsh, cruel, or quick to put others down are actually struggling with something inside themselves. They’re… Continue reading Why People Who Aren’t Happy With Themselves Are Mean to Others

Evening Walks in Our Little Town

There is something special about living in a place where forests meet farms. Our town feels like it is wrapped in fresh air, with apple trees scattered almost everywhere you turn. It is quiet, yet not completely cut off from the world since the autobahn is just five minutes away. That balance of peace and… Continue reading Evening Walks in Our Little Town

Finding Our Evenings Again on the Terrace

This summer was not at all how I pictured it when it came to spending time on our terrace. I had imagined cozy evenings after work, sitting outside with a drink in hand, talking, unwinding, and watching the sun go down. Instead, the reality was quite different. The terrace faces the sun directly, and as… Continue reading Finding Our Evenings Again on the Terrace

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce: A Match That Feels Just Right

When I think of Taylor Swift, I smile and feel a sense of calm. She’s been my one and only favorite American singer for years now. I’m not one of those super-fan people who spend a fortune on concert tickets, vinyl records, shirts, or anything else. I don’t camp out overnight to get front-row seats,… Continue reading Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce: A Match That Feels Just Right

Our First Car in Germany: A Little Polo with Big Memories

When we first arrived in Germany in 2013, we were not expecting to have our own car so soon. Moving to a new country is already a mix of excitement and uncertainty. You do not know exactly how life will unfold, and you are busy adjusting to a new place, new language, and new ways… Continue reading Our First Car in Germany: A Little Polo with Big Memories

The Fewer the Toys, the Greater the Value

When we become parents, one of the first instincts we have is to give our children everything we can. We want them to have the opportunities we did not. We want them to grow in an environment that encourages curiosity, imagination, and learning. For many of us, this translates into buying toys, often far more… Continue reading The Fewer the Toys, the Greater the Value