Yo Shorty, It's Mah Birthday

I can't believe that I'm celebrating the last year of my 20s. A lot of things have happened since I turned 20–from life realizations to choosing your battles wisely. Here are some of the things I have learned since I turned 20.

1) You are not everyone's cup of tea. The world is filled with people who, no matter what you do, no matter what you try, will simply not like you. Worse, they will try to bring you down. Instead of showing them your inner demon, kill them with kindness. Learn the subtle art of not giving a fuck (good book, by the way). Promise, it will save you time and energy.

2) It is easier to admit your mistakes than to deny it. If you did something wrong or offensive, say sorry. If someone points out your wrongdoings but praises your achievements whether big or small, thank that person. Treasure that person.

3) You know yourself better than anyone else.

4) You are as good of a person as you choose to be. Over the last couple of years, I have made the conscious decision to be a good person, and it has transformed my life for the better. I didn’t do this for religious reasons. I rediscovered who I am and realized that being 'good' feels more natural than being manipulative, or anything less than good.

5) A tall glass of beer is good, but a cup of black coffee is always better.

6) Some people come and go, and it is okay.

I am forever grateful for having a very loving and supportive family, and true friends who are always on my side. They always remind me that I shouldn't stop dreaming big. My life goal is to look younger than my age when I hit my 40s or my 50s. LOL.

PS: It's my first time to celebrate my birthday in my hometown. I've been celebrating my birthdays abroad since 2015.

PPS: LOLJK, will celebrate my post-birthday trip at the land down under in 6 days! HAHA.

Seagate Levels Up Data Creation with Storage Solutions to Fit Any Digital Life

Seagate Technology, a world leader in data solutions, today announced an exciting extension of its portfolio with several new models, including new solid-state drive offerings. From gung-ho gamers to Instagram gurus, photo-collecting parents, or visionary creatives, Seagate offers the data storage solutions that empower users to live their best digital lives in today's fast-changing data-heavy landscape.

overload

It's been a while since my last update. I have been busy with a lot of things lately and it's driving me nuts, tbh. I have just received my IELTS results and I am totally okay with it. An overall score of 8.0 is not that bad for someone who isn't a native speaker of English. God knows that I tried my best in that exam, so I guess I deserve a thousand pats on the back. I think it's already enough for me to gain points in my express entry profile. I am still waiting for my WES evaluation form. According to the website, it takes a month to complete the entire process. I don't really know why it takes longer to evaluate for the purpose of IRCC. Well, I have no choice but to wait. I hate myself for being impatient and an overthinker sometimes.

This shouldn't stress me out, but I can't help it. I am not blaming the Mercury retrograde or any of those astrology shit. Shit really happens and we have to deal with it. Also, our impending transfer to Manila is kinda stressing me out, but since I am not alone with this ordeal, I guess it's a consolation, to say the least. But I still don't get it WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU FIX SOMETHING THAT'S NOT BROKEN IN THE FIRST PLACE? Some things still keep me baffled, and I do not know why some people whom I respect have thought about it. Politics? Bureaucracy? Probably.

Also, it is true that when you encounter people whom you hate, your day's already shitty. But, I try to at least divert my attention by thinking of happy and funny thoughts. But then again, if you're working overtime, and you're with that person you hate at work, and you're sleepy and cranky as fuck, I might just snap and be a bitch. But no, I believe sarcasm is the best weapon for stupidity. LOL. Light indeed travels faster than sound. A person might look brilliant from afar until he starts talking. Stupid is forever. Lalalala.

Okay, this post is full of angst. Trust me, I am now matured and know how to handle shit things like this. Easy peasy. Ya basic.

Insignificant

Our blue planet is our only home. Yet, we continue to destroy it, and in the blink of an eye, we’ll lose it in no time. We think we are the most superior race in the entire universe–that we are capable to do and accomplish a lot of things. Look up, watch the stars and notice how they glistened in the night sky, blazing like fireworks in this velvet dark. We have been walking here on Earth for the last hundred thousands of years–a product of evolution and natural selection. But, the celestial bodies that we always see at night have been shining for more than a hundred million years.

 In the grand scheme of things, we are very small and very insignificant. As we venture into deep space explorations looking for alien life forms and Earth-like planets, our home is just a pale, blue dot, floating around a star while feeding off its warmth and light. Life beyond our galaxy really exists, but it is just a matter of time for us to discover it. Maybe during our lifetime. Or maybe not. Whether they’ll come across our planet or we’ll discover alien life forms in our own backyard serendipitously, the universe will always remain mysterious. For now, the constellations, who had witnessed our history for centuries and millennia will be the same, watching us over these tiny moments.

As night fell, the blue haze of day lifted to reveal the stars. If we were nocturnal beings, we would feel more connected to those far away stars, perhaps sensing the fragility of Earth all the more.

2019 Eurovision Song Contest Blog Review

I've started watching Eurovision Song Contest since 2012 (thank you, Eurovision YouTube Channel for uploading the entire show). I was curious that time, and after watching Loreen's winning moment, it dawned on me that this show is a BIG DEAL in entire Europe! I mean, it's like Basketball and Miss Universe to the Philippines. Everyone country in Europe is hyped by it, and they have crazy fans as well. In a nutshell, the show is a song contest. Each song must not be more than three minutes, an original composition (but over the years, some songs were subjected to copyright infringement due to the striking resemblance of the chords and notes being used), and can be sung in English or their native language. Each country has the right to vote their favorites on a point system - 12 being the highest, and 1 being the lowest. The voting system was changed in 2016, where the viewers now have the chance to vote for their favorites, using the same point system. The country that has the highest points wins the competition and will have a chance to host this amazing show.

Over the years, it has been subjected to a lot of controversies, especially in European politics. But, let's not tackle that because it's none of our business, lol. This year, Israel will host the ESC 2019 at Tel Aviv. Weeks ago, Eurovision released the final 41 songs of the contest. I've originally planned to create a vlog about it but I don't have much time. Here's my blog reaction about the 41 finalists of the Eurovision Song Contest 2019.

HAEVN Is Real

Around February, I was browsing random EDM songs when I came across to this artist: HAEVN. Out of curiosity, I clicked some of their videos (most of them are just audio files with awesome cover art). If my memory serves me right, City Lights (LVNDSCAPE Remix) was the first song I've heard from them, and I instantly got hooked. It was PERFECT. I mean, the beat isn't too slow nor too fast, it was just right. And also, the voice... OH MY GOD, I don't know where to start but it was a voice sent from heaven.

So, I did some research (aka stalking) about the band. Lifted from their official website, "HAEVN was founded by songwriter Marijn van der Meer film composer Jorrit Kleijnen, working from their studio in Amsterdam." Marijn, by the way, is very handsome. So envious right now zzzz. "The unique combination of cinematic melodies performed by Marijns warm vocals has conquered the hearts of many music lovers across Europe", said their biography.

Maybe I instantly got hooked because I love listening to cinematic music - those songs used for cinematography where strings and piano play harmoniously on a slow tempo. As my friends say, a 'making stories' song. I listened to their 2018 album, Eyes Closed, and surely there was aptly named as such. I tried closing my eyes and it took me to almost everywhere. It's like listening to Bon Iver + Explosions In The Sky at the same time. If there's a word better than eargasm, then that's how I would describe HAEVN's music.

Go ahead and watch City Light's official music video above. HAEVN is your best companion during your long night drive.

LG Makes its Mark in Mindanao

LG Electronics, in keeping with its tradition of giving back to the community, recently paid a visit to The House of Hope in Davao.

Hotel Mumbai

I remember watching this doco at National Geographic years ago, and I got stressed as fuck. Now the movie’s out, it was too painful to watch. Don’t get me wrong – the movie’s really good, albeit a poignant reminder of Mumbai’s darkest days in modern history.