Sometimes all we need is to be shaken so we can stand back up again. It sounds rough at first, like a push we did not ask for, but life rarely checks in before it moves us. A shake can come as loss, change, failure, or a quiet truth we avoided for too long. It… Continue reading When Life Knocks Us Loose So We Can Rise
Category: Random Topics
The Strength of Self Control
Proverbs 25:28 offers a powerful image. A city without walls is vulnerable. Anyone can enter, steal, damage, or disrupt what lies inside. In the same way, a person without self-control leaves their inner life unprotected. Thoughts are spoken before they are examined. Emotions are expressed before they are understood. Plans are shared before they are… Continue reading The Strength of Self Control
When Ordinary Moments Slip Past Us
Many of us move through our days on autopilot. We wake up, do what needs to be done, check off tasks, and go to bed tired but unsatisfied. Nothing is wrong, yet nothing feels memorable. The days blur together, and we assume that meaning will come later, in bigger moments. We have learned to ignore… Continue reading When Ordinary Moments Slip Past Us
Growing Up Next to a Giant
I read an FB post from Sass Rogando Sassot and I could not agree more. It was blunt, uncomfortable, and very easy to dismiss if one prefers comfort over truth. But sometimes the truth needs to sting a little before it can teach. The core idea is simple. Geography is not a feeling. History is… Continue reading Growing Up Next to a Giant
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
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 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
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
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
Why I Finally Uninstalled Facebook
I deleted Facebook from my phone during the first weeks of August, and I am curious how long I can keep it that way. It was not a dramatic decision. It did not come with a speech or a personal announcement on my wall. It was more of a quiet moment when I realized I… Continue reading Why I Finally Uninstalled Facebook
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
Why I Admire Senator Rodante Marcoleta and Why the Senate Needs More Like Him
I was recently watching some clips of Rodante Marcoleta in the Senate, especially during the discussions about the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte. What I saw left a strong impression on me. He wasn’t shouting or grandstanding. He was calm, precise, and very sharp in explaining legal points. He understood the law so well… Continue reading Why I Admire Senator Rodante Marcoleta and Why the Senate Needs More Like Him
My Alternative to Saba Bananas
When I first moved away from the Philippines, one of the foods I missed the most was saba bananas. They were always a part of home, whether in the form of turon, bananacue, or boiled on a rainy afternoon. The unique taste and texture of saba made them more than just fruit. They were a… Continue reading My Alternative to Saba Bananas
How Streaming Changed the Way We Watch
The way we watch movies and TV shows has changed more in the last decade than it did in the previous fifty years. This shift is mostly due to the rise of streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, and many others. These platforms have completely transformed the habits of viewers around the… Continue reading How Streaming Changed the Way We Watch
How Inflation Impacts Everyday Life in Germany
Lately, I’ve found myself thinking a lot about how prices have changed. It’s not just in my head — everything really is more expensive than it used to be. Inflation is a word we hear all the time, but for many people it sounds like something distant or abstract. In reality, though, it’s one of… Continue reading How Inflation Impacts Everyday Life in Germany
Brexit and What It Means for Britain, Germany, and Europe
When Brexit first became more than just a political debate and turned into reality, I remember feeling like the ground in Europe shifted. For decades the idea of Europe had been one of unity, cooperation, and shared prosperity. Then suddenly, the United Kingdom decided to walk away from the European Union, ending nearly half a… Continue reading Brexit and What It Means for Britain, Germany, and Europe
