TGIS: Thank God, it's Spring!

Cadigal Greens, University of Sydney (Camperdown Campus)

I just got out from our intensive class in Indoor Environmental Quality class, one of our core (/major) subjects in the Architectural Science program I am currently enrolled in. It's rightly called "intensive" because it's a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. class with an hour lunch break, and 2 or 3 10-minute coffee breaks in between. Luckily today, our prof and two guest lecturers finished early! So here I am, lounging on one of the bench/outdoor chair things at Cadigal Greens, enjoying the breezy, fresh Spring air, on a beautiful, laid back Friday afternoon, with earphones in place and a heart bursting with emotions at the seams.

I don't think i have ever written a feel-good post. Well, this is one... Today was just simply a good day. I did not feel sleepy during class, perhaps because my hibernation mode during winter has finally come to a close... Or it must be the two cups of Kopiko Brown I brought to class with me as my arsenal. Either way, I am happy that I survived it.

So many things have happened for the past three months since we started our #AASJourney: meeting and forming friendships with other students from other parts of the world, being overly attached (Read: "clingy") with fellow Filipino scholars, touring around Sydney, visiting musems (making the most out of the free Opal trips during weekends), attending free workshops (or paying for relatively cheap ones), shopping (!!!), getting through first round of gruelling assessments, family visiting me for 5 days -to name a few. The most unforgettable moment, not only for me and I'm sure with other AAS scholars as well, was when one of our Indonesian classmate, Tyo, suffered a heart attack during our Orientation Class. Yes, during class. And that memory will forever be etched in our hearts.

Yet, I cannot be more thankful for having given this opportunity to experience all this. My heart is overflowing with gratitude, and I know that academic life will only get tougher as time goes by. Homesickness will come knocking on our doors soon, as our 3-month honeymoon phase concludes. I pray that we will be able to surpass this. I pray that we can make through this, just like we survived our first winter.

The wind is getting chilly now, I think I better get inside the library or something.

Until next post....

Thank God for Spring. 😊😊😊

PMS-ing

Depression.

It comes in all forms and sizes. Just browse your facebook wall. Some will keep ranting about whatever crap they are going through - cursing, complaining, fussing about the inequalities of whatever.

For others, well, some just like to sleep all day long, wishing that everything will be alright when they finally wake up. But they never do.

For many others still, they keep buried in work. Tons and tons of work. Until their life is literally sucked out from their veins (Caffeine replaced their red blood cells, perhaps?) Exhausting every bit of energy their already tired bodies could endure, so that they would be too tired to think of their problems. Or to even feel anything.

3-month Hiatus

Sooooooo..... have I been THAT busy that I have not posted anything for three whole months?!?! Nor have I even had the time to visit my own blog! Whoah! I guess it's time for me to slow down a bit before I go berserk with all these busy-ness!

To keep things up to date, these are the stuff that have kept me busy (and sleepless!) for the past months...
(writing this blog while waiting for my sketchup render to finish-- that kind of busy- busy)

A Sunday Night Convo with Myself

Here we go again... This is all too familiar. I see there's actually a pattern of some sort here. I know you too well that I have an idea of where this is going, or not going.

Arei, this is your brain talking. Follow my advice: Slow down..... slow down!!!

Malamawi Island : A Hidden Paradise

White Beach, Malamawi Island, Basilan

Once in a while, it is nice to go out of our comfort zones. Break away from the monotony of everyday life- to not think too much nor plan too detailed, instead, to just get out there, explore and experience the earth's wonders. Take risks. Yesterday was one of those rare moments, and it's definitely one for the books!

10 Things I Miss About Manila

While waiting for my rendering to finish (been teaching myself the rudiments of Sketchup and it's driving me insane!) I thought I'd blog about the things I miss most about Manila. 

*insert song by Hotdog here*

If Not Now..... When?

Source

Making decisions can be hard, especially when your future is at stake. I have now hit a plateau in my career life, though I would like to think otherwise.

Being unemployed for almost two months now, I am now experiencing some of the pros and cons of going free-lance. Yet I know that these are just the tips of the iceberg... there will be many more challenges along the way, and I am confident that I can surpass them all, with God's grace.

First Monthsary

Source

Yesterday was my first "monthsary" of being unemployed. I am now officially a professional bum. I had to say, this was beyond what I expected or hoped it to be. Maybe I just need to be patient more, or I need divine intervention to get me out of this rut I am in.

I am not complaining. Though there are times, like most days, I tend to be disappointed with myself. The last weeks have not been a walk in the park. It's like everyday is a struggle, no matter where I am.

The Best Decision I've Made In My Life (So far)

"Incompetent. Unproductive. Inefficient."

Words can be harsh, gut-wrenching, ego-demeaning- especially when those words come from the person with the highest position in the company you've been working for two years and six months. Those two years and six months of working very long hours a day than required (9.5 hours a day is already long, btw.) I am not a perfect employee, I know that. I may have lapses here and there, I may have spent some company time doing personal stuff (like right now, with this blog)...but who hasn't? But more importantly, I try my best to make up for my inadequacies. I work my ass off to come up with a decent output, to try to meet their expectations...to move heaven and earth when the job calls for it.