There are certain foods that stay with you long after you have eaten them. They are not just meals but experiences that shape your taste, your expectations, and even the way you remember places. For me, one of those meals is the Hawaiian schnitzel. It might sound like a funny combination at first. A breaded… Continue reading The Search for a Perfect Hawaiian Schnitzel
Category: Random Topics
A Painting That Felt Like a Vacation
Back in 2022, when I was pregnant and visiting my OB-GYN regularly, I noticed a painting in the clinic that stopped me in my tracks. It wasn’t a dramatic piece of art filled with heavy symbolism or complex imagery. It was simple, colorful, and instantly comforting. Six women sat on the beach, their backs turned,… Continue reading A Painting That Felt Like a Vacation
The Gift of Serene Places
There are certain places in the world that have a quiet magic. You step into them, and something inside you shifts. The tension in your shoulders loosens, the noise in your head quiets down, and you feel almost as if time slows to match your heartbeat. These places can be tucked away in a busy… Continue reading The Gift of Serene Places
The Unexpected Journeys of Work and Home
In life, we often make choices that seem small in the moment but later become the very reasons why we grow in ways we never imagined. Back in 2019, when we moved from living just five kilometers away from my workplace to suddenly being thirty-six kilometers away, I didn’t realize how much that shift would… Continue reading The Unexpected Journeys of Work and Home
The Joy of Croissants
There are certain foods in life that feel like small luxuries, even when they are simple. For me, that food is the croissant. Every time I see one on a plate or in a bakery window, my mood lifts. Something about its golden layers, buttery scent, and soft yet flaky bite always makes me pause… Continue reading The Joy of Croissants
My Secret Romance
When I first pressed play on My Secret Romance, I thought I was just signing up for a lighthearted romantic comedy to fill an evening or two. What I did not expect was that it would become the kind of show I would keep thinking about long after the last episode ended. It left a… Continue reading My Secret Romance
The Political Storm Around VP Sara Duterte: Distractions, Debt, and the Search for Real Progress
In politics, the loudest stories often drown out the most important ones. Lately, the public conversation in the Philippines has been dominated by talks about impeaching Vice President Sara Duterte. The case has already gone through decisions by the Supreme Court and the Senate, and the results did not favor those pushing the impeachment. Yet… Continue reading The Political Storm Around VP Sara Duterte: Distractions, Debt, and the Search for Real Progress
A Day at Waterstones Piccadilly
When I first heard about Waterstones, I thought of it as just another bookstore, but stepping inside the one at Piccadilly in London showed me that it is much more than shelves filled with books. It feels like a world built for book lovers, with so many sections, quiet corners, and little discoveries waiting at… Continue reading A Day at Waterstones Piccadilly
Live Within Your Means
Money has a way of slipping through our fingers if we are not careful. No matter how much you earn, it can feel like it is never enough if you spend without thinking. Living within your means is not just about paying bills on time. It is about building a life where your expenses match… Continue reading Live Within Your Means
From Treating Everyone to Splitting the Bill – How Two Dining Cultures Shaped Me
Back home in the Philippines, there’s a word for treating your friends, family, or colleagues when you eat out: manglibre. It’s more than just picking up the bill. It’s an act of generosity, a way of saying you care, and sometimes, it’s an unspoken expectation—especially if you’ve just returned from abroad or a big city.… Continue reading From Treating Everyone to Splitting the Bill – How Two Dining Cultures Shaped Me
Freedom Has a Price Tag: Why Financial Independence Matters
I once heard Pastor Ed say something that stayed in my mind like a seed that refuses to stop growing. He said, “Let’s try our best to be independent because once we are hungry it’s easy to surrender our rights.” The more I thought about it, the more I realized how painfully true this is.… Continue reading Freedom Has a Price Tag: Why Financial Independence Matters
The Giant Pumpkin in Our Garden
There it sits, right in the middle of our backyard, looking like it owns the place. A giant pumpkin, fresh from the vine, still with a little bit of dirt clinging to its skin. We picked it today, and I keep glancing at it like it might suddenly decide to roll away. It feels like… Continue reading The Giant Pumpkin in Our Garden
Minimize Pain, Maximize Pleasure, Do the Most Good
We often hear people say life is short, but many of us do not really feel its weight until something shakes us—a loss, a milestone birthday, or a quiet moment of realizing how quickly time passes. The truth is, life moves fast. We wake up, go through our routines, handle responsibilities, and suddenly years have… Continue reading Minimize Pain, Maximize Pleasure, Do the Most Good
When Life Reminds Us How Fragile It Truly Is
I heard last week that someone I once worked with has passed away. We weren’t particularly close, but back in those long office days, we shared moments—small conversations, quick laughs over work jokes, the usual rhythm of colleagues. I thought she was fine. I didn’t even know she had been sick. Maybe I missed any… Continue reading When Life Reminds Us How Fragile It Truly Is
Not Every Sorrow Belongs on Social Media
We live in an age where life’s highs and lows can be broadcast in seconds. One tap, and the world knows what you’re eating, where you’re going, and—sometimes—exactly how much you’re hurting. Social media has become a stage where both joy and grief are performed for an audience of friends, strangers, and everyone in between.… Continue reading Not Every Sorrow Belongs on Social Media
Five Days in London: A Birthday, An Anniversary, and an Uber Boat
London had been on our list for a long time, but life always had other plans. Until last week, it remained one of those cities we said we’d visit “one day.” Finally, that day came, and we made it there as a family for the very first time. This trip felt extra special because we… Continue reading Five Days in London: A Birthday, An Anniversary, and an Uber Boat
Life in the Barangay: The Beauty and Bitterness of Knowing Everyone
In the Philippines, many people live in rural areas called barangays—small communities where neighbors aren’t just neighbors. They’re family, friends, and sometimes… your toughest critics. If you grew up in one, you know exactly what that means. These barangays, whether they’re nestled in the mountains, spread across fields of rice, or lined up along coastal… Continue reading Life in the Barangay: The Beauty and Bitterness of Knowing Everyone
The Trouble with Power Tripping: How Control Turns Toxic
Power trips are as old as power itself. The moment someone feels they have a little more say, control, or authority than others, the temptation to misuse it can creep in. Sometimes it’s subtle. Sometimes it’s blatant. But wherever it shows up—at work, in schools, online, in politics, or in day-to-day life—it leaves a trail… Continue reading The Trouble with Power Tripping: How Control Turns Toxic
When Friendship Is Tested by Silent Posts and Unspoken Debts
Lately, I’ve been quietly observing something that left me both sad and thoughtful. Two people I once saw as incredibly close friends now seem to be caught in a silent back-and-forth on Facebook. No direct words are exchanged, but the subtext in their posts is loud enough to hear. You can feel the tension between… Continue reading When Friendship Is Tested by Silent Posts and Unspoken Debts
Letting Go: The Strongest Revenge of All
There are moments in life when someone lets us down, and the hurt or disappointment doesn’t come crashing in—it arrives quietly and takes its place. Whether it’s betrayal, disrespect, or being brushed aside by someone we once trusted or respected—at work, online, among friends, acquaintances, or even family—the weight of that disappointment finds its way… Continue reading Letting Go: The Strongest Revenge of All
Correction Is Not Abuse, and Leadership Is Not About Fear
A post has been going around lately—written by a Filipino teacher—that struck a chord with many. It speaks about the frustration of not being able to discipline students anymore without being labeled abusive, of feeling powerless, of fearing backlash for simply doing what was once considered “normal.” The post paints a picture of a generation… Continue reading Correction Is Not Abuse, and Leadership Is Not About Fear
You’re Not Behind. You’re Just Building Something That Takes Time to Matter
It’s easy to feel like you’re late. Late to succeed. Late to figure things out. Late to be noticed, to arrive, to make the impact you imagined. The world moves fast, and it seems like everyone else is already far ahead, posting achievements, announcing wins, building something spectacular — or so it looks. But the… Continue reading You’re Not Behind. You’re Just Building Something That Takes Time to Matter
The Sweet Gift of Summer Berries
Some moments arrive so simply, you almost miss how special they are until you look back on them. One of those moments came to us recently, right in our backyard, over something as small and lovely as a handful of fresh raspberries. It started as an ordinary summer day. The three of us — my… Continue reading The Sweet Gift of Summer Berries
Not Everyone Deserves a Front-Row Seat to Your Journey
As we grow, it becomes clearer that not everyone is meant to walk every step with us. Life has a way of revealing who’s genuinely supportive and who’s just curious. Sometimes, we confuse access with loyalty, or proximity with care. But just because someone has known you for a long time, or happens to be… Continue reading Not Everyone Deserves a Front-Row Seat to Your Journey
Even the Moon Had to Go Through Phases to Be Whole
The moon holds a quiet kind of strength. It doesn’t scream, sparkle, or compete for attention—yet its presence is undeniable. Whether it’s just a thin crescent or shining in full, the moon reminds us that change is a natural part of life, and that true beauty doesn’t rely on being flawless. The phrase “Even the… Continue reading Even the Moon Had to Go Through Phases to Be Whole
The War the Children Didn’t Start, But Can’t Escape
The noise never truly stops. For children, the war between Iran and Israel isn’t something they read about or hear discussed in passing—it’s the sirens that yank them from sleep, the trembling ground, the walls trembling around them. The sudden roar of missiles overhead and the sharp crack of defensive interceptors have shattered the illusion… Continue reading The War the Children Didn’t Start, But Can’t Escape
The Quiet Ones Speak in Their Own Way
There’s a certain kind of person who never rushes a sentence. Their voice stays low, even when others raise theirs. They don’t interrupt, don’t compete for attention, don’t fill the silence just to avoid it. Calm and soft-spoken, they move through the world with a steady presence, the kind that often goes unnoticed until it’s… Continue reading The Quiet Ones Speak in Their Own Way
When Patience Meets a Short Fuse
Some people move through the world with a quick temper, like a spark waiting for something dry to land on. Reactions are sharp. Words come fast. The tension arrives before anyone else can prepare for it. Conversations become careful. Steps get lighter. Not because fear takes over, but because some personalities demand that kind of… Continue reading When Patience Meets a Short Fuse
The Economic Power of the Mittelstand: Backbone of German Industry
If you’ve ever wondered what really keeps the German economy running—not just the flashy cars or the big-name multinationals—you have to look a bit deeper, into towns and regions far away from Berlin or Frankfurt. Tucked into smaller cities and even rural communities, you’ll find a unique group of businesses known collectively as the Mittelstand.… Continue reading The Economic Power of the Mittelstand: Backbone of German Industry
Christmas Markets and Beyond: German Traditions Explained
There’s something undeniably magical about Christmas in Germany. From the first twinkle of lights in late November to the quiet calm of early January, the season unfolds with a comforting rhythm shaped by centuries of tradition. And while the Christmas markets often steal the spotlight—with their glowing stalls, the scent of roasted almonds, and the… Continue reading Christmas Markets and Beyond: German Traditions Explained
