Currently typing this with a full heart and a full tummy! Christmas celebrations at home went quite overboard this year, lol. We have a ton of visitors outside waiting to be entertained. I sneaked a little blog time so I can share some of my photos from last night's celebration! Here I am with my family at our usual corner spot beside the Christmas tree. My Dad lost a lot of weight due to his new hobby--biking, Mom gained some on the other hand cause she stopped gardening, lol. As for me and my sisters, same old, same old. Lost a few pounds here and there.

OMG, I can't believe I'm down to my last working day for 2015! This was such a crazy but awesome year for me. Oops, I'll save all that drama for my year-end post, haha. As I write this, I'm already done with everything I need to do for the day and I'm just giving away gifts and spending time with people who will not be in our company by next year--sad. Despite the goodbyes, I decided to focus on the things that matter and the things I'm grateful for. This may just have been the most stressful week of the year, but I made it with flying colors. 

1 | Finishing all my 2015 deliverables! YASSSSS! That includes training sessions, reports, recordings, commercials and even admin tasks. UGH, I feel so accomplished finishing two weeks ahead of time. As mentioned, this week may have been stressful but it was all worth it!

2 | Completing my Christmas Shopping list! I'm done buying gifts for family and friends! It took me two full days to buy everything that I needed including gift tags and gift wrappers. I wanted to do a DIY gift tags so bad but since I'm cramming, no time to Pinterest that shit. 

3 | DIY treats for the people in my office. It's an understatement to say that I have a ton of colleagues that I'm really close to. I didn't want to single out just the ones I always hangout with which is why I decided to give everyone a small treat! I bought small mason jars and filled them up with chocolates and cookies. Tied some sparkly ribbons around the lid and put on a gift tag! Saved me a lot of money!

4 | Getting gifts for Christmas! Officemates have started dropping by gifts over at my workstation. Some have gone on leave as early as Monday and won't be returning until January. I always get a surprise something in the morning. Doesn't matter if it's big or small, it's the thought that counts. Thanks, y'all! 

5 | The boss got me this! Now, do I have the best boss or what? I wasn't really expecting something this pricey because I know he's also giving a ton of gifts to other people, but I appreciate the fact that he made sure I got something I really want! 

6 | Having an almost perfect scorecard! As the year comes to an end, it's also a time to reflect and think about everything productive you did at work. My boss and I were discussing my scorecard the other day and I know I do my job well on a daily basis, but I didn't expect I'd be getting an above average score for the year! Weeee!

7 | I bought a dress for our Christmas party! It's difficult for me to invest in cocktail dresses because it's not something I can wear in the office, so I have to justify which other events can I wear this dress to? Instead of the sparkly ones that I usually go for, I went with a simple white dress. These cocktail dresses can range from 3K to 8K so I made sure I bought one that can really last me a long time. Will post photos on Saturday! Follow me on Instagram!

8 | Catching up with friends from my old company. I have this awesome bunch of trusted friends from my previous company. Even if we only see each other once per quarter, it always feels as if we last saw each other yesterday! No dead air, no awkward moments. And I know that If I ever get married in the future, these will be the people I want standing by my side. CHEESEBALLS. They'll kill me for posting something like this, lol. 

9 | Going to Paskuhan with the boyfriend today! He wants me to see how Christmas is like in their school. Uhm, not like it's any better than our Lantern Parade with a side of Oblation run, LOLJK! We're also trying some of his favorite stalls around UST. Can't wait!

10 | GOING ON HOLIDAY FOR TWO WEEKS! I cannot emphasize enough how excited I am to go on holiday mode. My laptop has been slowing down for the past few days and seems like it went on vacation ahead of time, lol! Today is dedicated for giving away gifts and having breakfast, lunch and dinner with my squad from the office! UGH, I CAN ALREADY FEEL CHRISTMAS!

With the way things are going on the road, surge pricing and rush hour rates from Uber and Grab are horrendous. I paid P200+ the other day for a 15-minute ride home because the demand was overwhelming according to my Uber driver. I cringe everytime I see how much I have to pay just to safely get home. I'm scared to ride random taxi cabs because there was a recent viral post on FB about a girl being held up in our area--inside a cab. I don't want to tolerate the unreasonable rates since what we really need is an effective public transportation system and not more cars on the road. But, if it's the only way for me to get home safe, I'm afraid this system doesn't leave me with any other choice, sigh. But I'm really glad it will all be over and I don't have to put up with these rates any longer! Can't wait to go home to the province and live a simple life even for only two weeks, haha. Hope you guys are ending the year strong!

I've read from a recent Thought Catalog article (yes, I read Thought Catalog don't judge me!) that we lose friends and family because we choose to. I was disagreeing upon reading the first sentence because how can you choose to sever ties with family and friends, right?? Midway through the article, I found myself nodding aggressively and agreeing to what the article was pointing to. There was one scenario in the story where two best friends just entirely stopped any communication between them. There was no problem, they just stopped. And that was the end of it. 

I don't know why but Christmas time brings this feeling of wanting to make up for whatever it is you have failed to do. Whether it be at work or in my personal life. I have a lot of friends who went to study, work or live their lives abroad. We're friends on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram but I admit, we don't communicate. We just like each others photos, comment sometimes and that's it. Yes, we know what's happening with each other but do we really know how the other is doing? Admittedly, I don't. And I want that to change this year. Do you use Libon? Well, I don't until I found out about it a few weeks ago.

Libon is the Android and iPhone app that’s available for free on your App Store or Google Play. This app allows you to stay in touch with those who matter, wherever they might be in the world! Save money on your calls, with the best worldwide rates for national and international calls to more than 140 destinations. Plus, you will be able to call and chat for free with your friends that downloaded the Libon application. It's a lot like Skype, Viber, Line, WeChat etc. With all these apps already available on the market, you might be wondering, why would I still need Libon? I'll let the rates do the talking. 

In partnership with Globe Telecom, Libon is introducing an exclusive offer to enable Libon users from all around the world to keep in touch with friends and family in the Philippines at great low rate.If you’re in Philippines, United States, Hong Kong or anywhere else around the world, the Libon Out calls are always so affordable. With Libon you only need an internet connection on your mobile (on Wi-Fi or using a mobile data plan) to enjoy very low prices to call landlines and mobiles in Manila, Davao, Cebu and everywhere else in Philippines. No connection charge or hidden costs, it's that simple!

Just like Viber, Libon-to-Libon calls are free of charge plus, it’s in HD! And let’s admit it, we still have friends and family members who do not own a Smart phone and that’s perfectly fine with Libon. You can call still call their mobile or landline phones using the same app and the same address book! 

Libon is available for Android and iOS. Download it from the Appstore and the Playstore now!

I've been so busy the past few weeks that I haven't really had the time to do my 10 Happy Things. I've been heavily relying on queued posts that work any time of the day, or any day of the week, for that matter. This week, I decided to take a breather and look at the things that have been making me feel happy and content. The holiday rush and traffic might be terrible, but I still have a ton of things to be thankful for.

With only a few days coming in before Christmas, we all know how hectic the following weeks would be! I've been planning since September how I would go about organizing my holidays, but somehow, I couldn't get it right down to pat. Well, at least this year. At this point, I should've bought all my holiday gifts but I'm not even close to completing my list! My last resort would be to just buy everything online. The traffic is horrendous and I'm scared to go out only to be stranded because no taxi cabs/Uber would take me due to the holiday rush. 

We all have Christmas get-together's, year-end parties and holiday celebrations to attend. Not to mention work, time with family and loved ones and everything in between to squeeze during the holidays. With all that happening at the same time, you wouldn't want to be caught sick, only to miss out on these celebrations. I was in the hospital last year and it felt terrible knowing that I've been practicing so much for our department presentation, only to end up in the hospital because my body couldn't take all the stress, fatigue and everything else that was going on aka my breakup, LOL. With that, I want to share some tips you guys might find helpful so you can boos your immune system during the holidays!

Have at least 8 hours of sleep. 

I don't know the exact number of hours sleep an adult should have but based on experience, 8 is my magic number. Sleep would be your foundation in making sure you function properly the next day. I also find it unhealthy if one oversleeps as I would get nasty headaches and be more slouchy the whole day if I sleep for more than 12 hours.

Don't skip meals. 

Eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between. I remember mentioning in my previous post that I collapsed during one of my classes a few weeks ago. When I went to the doctor, I was told it was over fatigue. I was extremely nervous thinking it was something serious because I literally blacked out and couldn't remember anything. While thinking about everything that happened that day, I realized I only took about 3 bites from my lunch and I didn't have anything for dinner. Explains a whole lot. So remember, never skip a meal!

Eat healthy. 

Well, the holidays isn't really the best time to go on a diet. But let's face it, the older we get, the slower our metabolism goes. Wait, or is that just me? Regardless, try to eat healthy. Not because you're on a diet but because you want to take care of your body. I had to realize this the hard way when I couldn't eat anything solid or tasty during my stay at the hospital. Eating healthy doesn't always have to be all greens. You can be creative as you want to be so long as you use the ingredients that's right for you. Also, go slow. Eating healthy isn't a process that happens overnight. Don't be too hard on yourself.

Exercise. 

I know at this point you might be telling yourself, "Ugh, this is a dumb list." Yes, we read about these things all the time but do we actually do them? NO. We've been told to eat healthy, get as much sleep and exercise, but as adults, we have so much going on and our priorities actually change. It takes a whole lot of effort to re-prioritize and shift your perspective. You don't have to do a whole 3-hour boxing session to catch up. As mentioned, go slow. You can start with daily 15-minute exercises, then progress to longer exercises soon as your body gets to adjust. Work with exercises that doesn't bore you or that fits your body type. Customize it and make it as fun as you want it to!

Take your vitamins. 

Most of the time, we think everything we're doing is enough--but really, it isn't. Getting help isn't always a bad thing. That's what your vitamins are for! Helping out your immune system is not a bad thing. Which is exactly what Fern-C does. Fern-C is a sodium ascorbate that helps boost our immune system. It's also a potent anti-oxidant that increases body resistance against infectious diseases. In short, it's your daily dose of Vitamin C. You might say that you actually get Vit C with the food that you eat everyday, but how sure are you? Being extra cautious won't harm you. In contrast with ascorbic acid, which is also another type of Vitamin C, sodium ascorbate also helps in fighting/preventing cancer, helps in preventing cardiovascular diseases and prevents possible cataract. Sodium ascorbate is also non-acidic (perfect for me since I have GERD), and is more soluble than ascorbic acid. It is more reactive compared to ascorbic acid in building connective tissues and anti-body structures which make it more effective in killing viruses and bacteria.

That being said, we always hear that 'Health is Wealth' but always do otherwise. I'm no saint when it comes to this since I'm a heavy drinker and I smoke too. Which is why I'm trying to improve the quality of my life by adhering to this list not just during the holidays, but on the daily. I'm currently doubling my vitamin dosage due to the extra work I have to do before I go on vacation, add to that the numerous events that are simultaneously happening before everyone else also take their holidays. I didn't have this kind of perspective before I was hospitalized. I would abuse my body until it finally gave up. Don't let that happen to you. Don't wait for a moment of realization before you finally decided to make a change. I was lucky the damage to my body last year wasn't excessive, I am lucky. Not everyone is. Make sure you take care of your body before it's too late.

You can follow Fern-C on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to know more! Have a change of lifestyle and make the shift before it's too late. I know I sound preachy but trust me on this one. No one likes getting sick not just during the holidays, but all the time, right?? More so during the holidays when everyone is having fun! Have a stress-free holiday with Fern-C! #FernCSubokNa  #StressFreeChristmas #HealthyHoliday

I'm still not in the blogging mood, huhu. When I was on vacation, everything was so fresh and I wanted to blog right away. Now that I'm back, I can't seem to get Cebu off my mind. I just want to go back and explore the Queen City of the South! I've been spending most of my time looking for seat sales, hehe. I hope I get my mojo back soon. So many stories and photos to share! For now, back to work, haha. I'm backlogged and another holiday is coming up. Have an awesome weekend!

WAAAAAH! I haven't blogged in over a week and I feel guilty! I was supposed to have all this set with queued posts but I was extremely busy a week before taking my vacation hence the absence of posts. Anyhoo, I've been out on vacation for a week and got back to Manila yesterday. This will only be a quick update of my whereabouts, just to let you guys know that I'm still alive! LOL. 

1 | My trip to Cebu finally pushed through! The boyfriend and I were reluctant to go through with it due to the APEC hullabaloo but luckily, we weren't affected! Our flights weren't cancelled and the traffic going back home from NAIA was a breeze! Thank you, universe. 

2 | This is my first out of town trip with this guy! Somehow I can tell, this will be the first of many breathtaking places we'll explore together. He was able to get survive my crazy moments when traveling. And I tell you, I'm extra cranky and bitchy when traveling!

3 | Our boat on the way to the Whaleshark feeding area! The commute from Mactan to Tan-Awan, Oslob was fun! Rode the bus and a habal-habal to get to our destination. 

4 | The main reason we went to Cebu; to watch the gentle giants! This was an out of this world experience. I was really scared to dive at first because I easily forget my swimming skills whenever there's a foreign entity beside me. The whale shark swam right below my feet and I can feel it but the guide told me not move because it will startle the whale shark! More about this on my next post!

5 | This is the view in front of our resort. Amenities and room-wise, this wasn't the best place at the price we agreed upon. But with this view, I wouldn't have it any other way. 

6 | The rest of our Cebu trip in a nutshell, hahaha! After Oslob, we spent most of our time looking for the best places to eat Lechon! The entire trip, I think 80% of the meals we had were Lechon! We even had Lechon at the airport. OMG so good! 

7 | After Cebu, went to Baguio with the boyfriend and his family. It was tiring as we just got back from a wonderful Cebu trip. But I also missed Baguio so much couldn't bear to waste energy sleeping!

8 | The birthday boy and his birthday cake from Vizcos! Took him out on a date after celebrating with his family. Had coffee at Cafe Will. We were supposed to go to La Casa Bianca but they close at 10PM. We finished dinner late because I went batshit crazy at the Outlet store in John Hay, hahaha. 

9 | Concluding one week of vacation with my birthday boy at The Manor in Camp John Hay. Had fun touring my favorite boy in my favorite city! PS You're probably wondering why I'm wearing a sweater and short shorts in cold freaking Baguio?? This used to be my usual get up in college! I find it comfortable until now, haha. 

With all those bullets, still couldn't summarize how happy I am this week. Yes, I may have had a few fights with the boyfriend but nothing a hug couldn't fix. I think taking trips and vacations with your loved one improves your relationsip. They get to see you ta your best...and worst! Glad to have survived this trip despite my apprehensions. I'm recharging for tomorrow's work. I can only imagine the butt load of e-mails I have to go through tomorrow, LOL. Have an awesome Sunday!

 I was impressed with the Beef Rendang + Rice (P159.00) and Laksa (P149.00), but no so much with the Fresh Spring Rolls(P99.00). According to the waiter, the Spring Rolls is one of their best sellers but it felt like a rip off. The sauce was bland and didn't even come close to what peanut sauce should taste like. The service was fast and the food was served immediately. If not for the service I wouldn't even recommend eating here. 

Last Friday, I went back to try other things on their menu. But this time, I tried their branch at Z Compound. I ordered the Pad Thai Combo (P219.00). The Pad Thai combo inlcludes Pad Thai (of course), 3pcs. Spring Rolls and your choice of Thai Iced Tea/Honey Calamansi; I went with the latter. The Pad Thai was just okay, nothing spectacular there. Surprisingly, the peanut sauce at Z Compound tasted better. The taste was still mediocre, but at that price, I guess you get what you pay for.

I still have plans of coming back despite the mediocre taste. I still have to try their Pho and Chicken Satay! Even if the food isn't that amazing, the waiters/waitresses are always friendly whether at StrEAT Food Park or Z Compound. I guess that's why I feel comfortable giving their food another chance. It was scorching hot when I went to Z Compound but my mood lightened up because the person who served my food was smiling and I don't know why, but his aura was contagious. 

Read more about my experience over at When In Manila. Yup, I started being an active writer for the site again! Writing takes my mind off of a lot of things that's why I decided to be involved again despite my busy schedule. I know I have my blog for that but sometimes, I get bored that I have a tendency to tinker with my theme and HTML code; which in turn prompts me to keep on changing the design! I have to tell myself over and over to not fix something that ain't broke! Splitting my writing time to two sites takes my attention off my theme--at least for now! So off I go to explore the confines of this city so I can share more of my adventures with you guys! Toodles!