In this Universe, there's no such thing as coincidence. ✨

It was meant for me to find this book, so to say that I "randomly stumbled" onto this book feels to be imprecise. I'd go for "this book found me" in the most perfect timing. I discovered the book via the post "11 Best Spiritual Books to Nurture the Soul (For Beginners)". I'm actually familiar with some of the titles, specifically Jonathan Livingston Seagull (Richard Bach). But actually, I didn't have that recollection of the book being a "spiritual one", which led me to read again as an adult. I'll dive into that interesting experience in another post. 😀

So among the titles listed on that post, The Untethered Soul got my attention. I was intrigued and got a copy of the book. Honestly, the first few chapters felt completely off for me. The concepts that Michael presented were new to me. However, knowing that I am a poor judge for first impressions (like what happened with the Livingston Seagull book), I continued reading the rest of the book. Guess what, I'm so thankful I did, because apparently, this book contains A LOT of life lessons that I needed to learn, especially during this time of my life. 📖💗

I got to highlight a lot of passages in the book (thanks Kindle for making this easier), and I want to include them here on this post, because these kinds of lessons merit more than one reading to fully make sense of what the book is trying to convey. For sure, these messages will affect me differently each time I encounter them, so I am curating them all here, not just for my future self's convenience, but also to share my learnings with you, my readers. 🥰

I have always been fascinated with the conspiracy theory that this life is just some kind of simulation, a very modern VR wherein we experience everything with such lush detail and accuracy. When we die, we just move out of the simulation and disconnect our consciousness from the machine. If I look at life that way, I don't really need to be so caught up with drama and problems. 

Our memories make up the personal image that we have of ourselves.

This is so true, this is why I believe social media is so toxic because people are trapped in their own echo chambers so they become really invested with something, so when they meet people online with opposing beliefs, it becomes a huge and chaotic keyboard war.

I recall those anecdotes of actors who have played villain roles in soap operas. They would encounter viewers of the show who would call them by their villain characters' names with such hatred, some even wanting to hurt them. Those viewers are so invested with the show that they couldn't recognize real-life from fiction. And that could be a dangerous position to be in.

 

100% me. 😭

I'm a loser versus I'm feeling like a loser. I am dumb versus I'm feeling dumb. The latter feels more like a passing/flowing experience. It means it is not permanent.

This echoes the lyrics of Taylor Swift's song "Dear Reader."

This message is so in parallel with the message that I got from The Little Money Bible audio book that I was also listening during the time that I was reading this book. It was during the time when I passed up an opportunity to travel abroad with the best of my friends. I knew I wasn't comfortable with involving myself in that activity, and that it wasn't my priority during that time. During the week of their trip, I felt this eerie stillness that allowed me to just contemplate. As they say, the teacher appears when the student is ready. And so I found myself listening to that audiobook and reading this book. I now understand that I need to learn these lessons at my own pace. I am still grateful that I respected my own boundaries. If I went with the flow and something went wrong that affirmed my fears, without learning these lessons, I would have a misguided judgment that might lead me into searching for someone/something to hold the blame. I'm grateful that I got to have that "enlightenment" moment, and now that I have a clear understanding of my life compass, I know what to do next time life presents a similar circumstance.

I agree 100%.

I already read the book. I am the former in some parts, while I am the latter in some chapters of the book. 😅

The concept about the pendulum was so intriguing, and it actually makes sense when you think about it. The message that I got from a virtual healing session (which I have not written a post by the way, will publish that soon! 😅) aligns with the message in this chapter. 

Obviously, the book has a lot more wisdom to offer, so I highly recommend everyone to read the book. The passages above are those that resonated with me. I'm sure your list will have a different set of messages compared to mine. Maybe my future self would have a different collection, too. It was such a great read, and I truly enjoyed the experience of reading it. I'm grateful for the lessons, and I will keep them with me from hereon. 🥰✨

MANILA, Philippines – Johnson & Johnson Philippines (J&J Philippines) kicked off the outreach program dubbed as “#BeNextPeriodReady” in Paranaque, Metro Manila alongside ABS-CBN Foundation and Miss Universe Philippines, supporting Modess’ advocacy on menstrual health education.

Modess arranged a community engagement event attended by high school students from San Antonio High School where they discussed with an all-teen-girl audience the importance of having the right sanitary pad partner for their menstruation needs, especially as they go out and make bigger moves. 

Jason Khu, senior brand manager for Modess of J&J Philippines, talked about the reality that most of our teens experienced during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of young girls went through their first menstruation in their households while on lockdown, and it was the first time they were able to form menstrual health habits. However, these young girls’ period experience will be completely different as they go back to having face-to-face classes, meet up with friends, and engage in more activities outside of their homes. Modess is committed to help these teens improve the state of their menstrual health, hygiene, and habits, the next time they get their period– so that they are now #NextPeriodReady. 

“For all the girls, we as a brand are committed to continue in normalizing the conversation and be an inspiration to more teens to be next period ready. We are looking forward to meeting more girls in the future to continue our advocacy of menstrual health education. It is our hope that more and more #GenFree girls be able to make bigger moves with Modess” Aldellyn Po, Marketing Manager for Feminine Care, Johnson & Johnson Philippines

ABS-CBN Foundation also joined in advancing the advocacy on menstrual health and hygiene for our young girls. ABS-CBN Foundation wants to be involved in this movement by helping distribute 2,500 menstrual hygiene kits to different schools and communities nationwide as young girls go back to in-person learning. 

“Like always, we at ABS-CBN Foundation have always trusted J&J Philippines and Modess in continuing our shared advocacy on menstrual health and hygiene education. Together, the benefit of having girls learn and treat conversations like this as a norm will bring back a lot of lessons to them personally. As for kids receiving the kits, alam ko madami ang matutuwa at magkakaron ng bagong approach sa menstrual health ngayon matapos yung conversations natin dito with our panel.” Levi Ambon-Rota, program head of ABS-CBN Bantay Bata 163.

Miss Universe Philippines, also in full attendance, participated in the #BeNextPeriodReady outreach program as they, too, believe that teenage girls today need to be educated about menstrual health and should have better access to products, like Modess, that would improve their menstrual cleanliness and sanitation.
 
Celeste Cortesi, Miss Universe Philippines 2022 and Anabelle McDonnell Miss Universe 1st runner up came to support the event. Celeste gave advice to the young women who struggle with worry and anxiety due to their current menstrual health habits influenced by the pandemic lockdown. She strives to be the voice of the youth today, shedding light on issues and addressing concerns about the taboo subject -- menstrual hygiene.

For Miss Universe Philippines 2022, Celeste Cortesi, “The need to bring this conversation into normal situations should come from a place of love and pride. Young girls should be proud that they are menstruating and can talk about it freely with other people, this way, girls can be ready together and be more open about the need for access to menstrual health and be next period ready. As for my connection with Miss Universe Philippines, we continue to inspire girls through our way of being relatable and campaigning the message heavily everywhere, so that young girls especially, will feel the need to value themselves as someone to be proud of.” 
      
Closing the event, the students together with the ABS-CBN Foundation and the J&J team joined in on the mural painting, where the girls were asked to think of the one word or phrase that they wish to empower themselves, a goal that has been set by the brand’s campaign. 
Modess continues their advocacy in creating safe and comfortable spaces for teenage girls. So that the next time they get their period, they are finally equipped with the right knowledge and products to help them navigate the outside world confidently and worry-free.

For more information about Modess, visit www.modess.com.ph or follow our social media accounts at https://www.facebook.com/modessangelsofficial and @modessph on Instagram.

It still feels surreal. Looking back at the different mindset shifts that I went through during the pandemic, I thought it would take longer for me to become comfortable again going with a crowd in an enclosed venue. Exactly 3 years from the last concert I covered here on the blog, I found myself standing amongst a sea of faces, looking towards a stage, watching an artist perform music live.

That artist that I went to see live is Jacob Collier. He is an artist that I discovered during the pandemic. Saying that he is a musical super genius is still an understatement. He is just beyond any musician that I have experienced. His music brings me, emotionally, to new and foreign places. Most of the time, I just find myself crying whenever I watch one of his performances online. His music really moves me.

One of my favorite YouTube videos of Jacob Collier. I actually cried when I watched this the first time. 😅

I literally squealed with glee when I learned that he'll be stopping by here in Manila for a concert. When I posted this on my Instagram, I learned that I have a college friend that also likes him. Yay. Like wow, what were the chances, right? We arranged to meet and go to the concert together. Yay! The venue was just near home -- The Filinvest Tent. This was exciting because it's my first time to attend a concert in this venue. 💖

On the day of the concert, after finishing my shift at work, I prepared my stuff for the concert. Aside from the fact that this was my first concert in 3 years, I was extra extra excited because I will get to shoot photos again. My concerts IG account had been dormant for years and I was looking forward to posting new content again. Well, spoiler alert: the Universe had other plans. 😅 More on that later on.

I arrived at the venue a few minutes before the gates opened. I was not ready to see the long line into the tent. I had to walk several meters from the entrance before I got to join the end of the line. I was also surprised by the demographics of Jacob's concert attendees. They're all so young and they look so cool. I felt like I was in the midst of the sosyal Gen Z's. In short, I felt old. LOL. I noticed several solo goers also, so it didn't feel awkward for me. I got to meet Sheine, my college friend, inside the venue already. Ah also, the staff asked for a valid ID and the vaccination card at the entrance. So I guess, this is already the protocol in concerts.

There were some food stalls inside the venue. They were serving alcohol too! 😍So, not bringing my car was really the right decision. I also recalled that in my last Karpos Media event, they also served beer. I should have known. 😅

Oh, and the adrenaline that rushed through my veins was beyond me. I missed this kind of energy. 😍✨ I felt goosebumps all over.

Since it was an all-standing concert, Sheine and I decided to just be that "chill crowd" at the back. In between performances, we bought spiked lemonade and coffee as we watched Jacob perform from afar. As expected, he was perfect. I have seen his concert footage wherein he directs the crowd like a choir, but it still hits differently when you are in the actual crowd singing "aaaahhhh" and actually had to gasp for air more than a few times to continue the note. It's magic hearing Jacob play the piano, and it's even more magical hearing his voice. I LOVE HIM!

I also saw my concert photography mentor Kris Rocha in action. I wanted to say hi and greet her, but unfortunately,  I wasn't able to get a chance. Check out some of her wonderful (as always) shots of the concert.

I went home energized both by adrenaline and caffeine. I had to leave the venue during the last song (I wasn't able to catch the encore 😭) but still I had a great time that night (thanks Sheine for the early Christmas gift yay). I was excited to check the footage I got on the camera. But guess what happened, the SD card got corrupted. 😢 I ran some software to recover files, but amongst the 100+ files I was able to recover (thanks to this open-source software by the way), only 6 JPG files were readable by other programs. For sure, these were the thumbnails of the equivalent RAW photos. And those photos are what you are seeing in this post's banner. At first I felt upset, but then again, having no photos won't make that amazing concert comeback experience become any less. I have nothing to post on my Music N Lens IG account, but the memories are alive in my mind. I guess this is the lesson I have to learn from this experience.

So, that's how my first post-pandemic(?) went. I have another one lined up next year, and I'm excited to document them again here on the blog. It's so nice to be back in these live concerts again. 💖 ✨

The start of my 8th day in Tokyo was a bit different from the rest, because for that day, I was actually going to meet up and socialize with other people.😁 Some Redditors, who were traveling to Tokyo during the same dates, decided to meet up and hang out. A handful of us decided to visit this exhibit called teamLab Borderless. Even before my flight to Tokyo, I was already chatting with those folks over at Reddit. It coincided that I had a "free day" during the trip to accommodate meeting up with some of them. When the dates were set, I booked my tickets online before flying out. Honestly, I would never think of visiting this exhibition on my own, so I was glad that I found a group that I could go along with.

I was excited to hop onto the train because I was exploring yet again another new area of Tokyo -- Odaiba. It's one of the more modern areas in Tokyo, and it was evident just with the views I saw on the train when approaching the man-made island location.

It was a nice sunny day, the perfect weather for some sightseeing! I then hopped off the train to meet my fellow Redditors. It turned out four of us pushed through with the teamLab plans for this day. After some awkward introductions, we were on our way inside the teamLab exhibition.

In the first few minutes of interaction, I knew we were very different types of people. The mix of people was really interesting. I struggled as I tried to make a connection. Our convos flowed around travel, our experiences in Tokyo so far, and other related cultural stuff. All of these happened three years ago, and unfortunately, I couldn't really recall their names and faces. All I could remember was that two of them knew each other while the other one was a solo traveler as well.

By just seeing the entrance of the exhibit, I felt like this would be an adventure! And indeed it was. Upon entering the first "room", it felt like I entered a dreamlike trance and my eyes were feasted with these psychedelic displays.

These photos don't give much justice on how amazing the exhibit was. Well you can just google and see other people's photos of teamLab to maybe better appreciate what I'm describing to you. 😅 This is still one of my tiny regrets during this trip -- I don't have a decent camera with me that can capture great images in low light settings, so I only was able to capture mediocre shots inside the exhibit.

Each room had an insightful explanation on what the concept was and what inspired those colors and patterns. Some were even interactive, instructing you to download an app on your phone to "control" the effects inside the room.

There was also a part of the exhibit wherein you could sit down and have some tea. I cannot remember which tea I had (😢) but I remember that interactive animation wherein whenever we place our cups on the table, a circle of light would spotlight our teacups. Then pink petal flowers would land at the center and would continue to blossom from the center of our cups. We tested this one actually. We landed our cups on different parts of the table, and the circle of light never failed to appear. By the way, the petals only appeared on hot teas. I asked how this could have been done to the Redditors and they geekily (🤓) said that this could be possible by using temperature sensors.

I think it took us more or less an hour to go around the exhibit. I'm so relieved I went with a group in this exhibit because here's a word of caution: it's possible to be lost forever inside the rooms. Just kidding! It can be a little challenging to navigate around the exhibit without a sharp spatial memory. We experienced going around and realizing we went back to a room we've been previously, and had to ask the staff (yes they're there inside!) which was the right way to reach the other rooms.

It was a very interesting experience honestly. I loved everything about the exhibit, except the fact that there were so many people around. 😓I would have felt more immersed with the dreamlike rooms and effects if there were less people chattering (although the dreamy background music helps to drown them) and more space to freely roam around to take an artsy selfie. 😆 

 

I have never done this for any of my travels since this one (and I've this for a few more after then I stopped 😅). I went to Taipei with some of my colleagues at the office in 2017. It was also that year that I bought my Lumix ZS70. This was the first trip that I got to use this camera so I was excited to film. Five years later, I unearthed gigabytes of video footage from my hard drive as I finished my blogs for this trip. These are golden memories that I didn't want to be kept in eternity inside my disk so I decided to edit them and upload them here. I have not traveled with them again since, but hopefully we could make travel memories again, soon! 😁

I need to dump the videos here little by little. I got tons of footage, apparently. 😅

Finally, I got to accompany her to do a consultation at Affinity Dental at Ortigas to see what procedures are needed to restore the health of my sister's teeth. It's a bit daunting to visit the dentist since the pandemic, so I believe it's really important to choose carefully which dentist clinic you will be visiting. Are they using safety health protocols? Are they sanitizing their instruments? Will I feel safe that I won't catch the virus from dropping by their clinic? I'm pleased to say that for Affinity Dental, the answers are all YES. ✅

✔️They have x-rays and other machines to accurately diagnose your problem

Tadah! The panoramic x-ray was printed and already available for the dentist to examine.

They also did a periapical x-ray to further examine the tooth of concern.

Doc Reggy explaining to my sister the state of her tooth using the image taken from the x-ray.

With the diagnosis all set, they discussed the next steps on what procedures are needed to be done for my sister's tooth. There were a lot of options, and I think it's important to discuss that with your dentist. We had a lot of questions and Doc Reggy was very patient in informing us what needs to be done, when to do this, and (most importantly LOL) how much each option would cost. 💸

I just had to take a mirror selfie. 😜

Now that we're well-informed with what's going on with my sister's tooth, we're planning to do some more visits at the clinic for the next steps and for the treatment. I feel like we are in safe and skilled hands for the rest of this adventure. Good luck sis! 🦷

We stayed at Energy Inn in Taipei during this trip. Darcy and I shared a room, and it was comfy and spacious even though we both have large suitcases lying around. 😆 They have nice bathrooms too, and the room was complete with amenities.

I distinctly remember their pantry and the breakfast we had each day. Milk and coffee were refillable. ☕

We had a great experience staying here, and it's not surprising that the hostel has great ratings on various booking sites. ❤️ 

These rates were in 2017. Looking at Booking.com in 2022, their rating has gone up to 9.2! Great job!