Ochi In The City

Friday's 10 Happy Things | 2

Aside from the horrendous traffic we experience last Tuesday, I think I had a pretty good week. I don't want to remember how horrible Tuesday was because I actually consider myself one of the lucky few who didn't get wet, who had to walk home or who paid P1k+ for a ride home. Doing this week's 10 Happy Things also made me realize how fortunate I am to live 10-15 minutes from work. Oh, the small things.

1. Waking up to the person I love on a Monday morning and sort of not wanting to go to work yet because you just want to cuddle. And eat breakfast together or probably sleep some more.

2. 100% passing rate for my Engineers! They got endorsed to Technical training last Wednesday and I couldn't be more proud. We also got to celebrate with a few drinks after class which is a good thing because it saved me from the hellish traffic situation.

3. I got a box of donuts from my trainees the other day as a simple thank you gift. It somehow served as a reminder of why I'm doing what I'm doing. Not for the food of course, lol. But to keep inspiring people (naks!).

4. I was out drinking last Tuesday which is why I didn't have any idea about the horrendous traffic consuming Metro Manila. I thought cab drivers were just being extra choosy because of the rain. One thing to be happy about was that I got an Uber to take me home. I didn't fully understand the extent of the traffic until I traversed EDSA-Ortigas and was still stuck in traffic for about 15-20mins at 1 fucking AM.

5. Got an invite to join a product launch on Saturday. I won't be able to go because I have another appointment but I'm really glad to be getting a lot of invites lately. Posting content consistently really does pay off.

6. The new iPhone 6s in Rose Gold! It's so pretty. I don't really like Pink but it's a break from all the neutral (Gold, Black, White, Silver) colors we've been getting from Apple. Not to dismiss all the fun colors from the iPhone 5c but, they're just too loud for my taste. The Rose Gold on the other hand has the perfect amount of subtlety I would want for my next device.

7. I found the perfect design for my blog! Buuuuut, it's only available for WP. I've already sent the designer an e-mail since I can't be bothered to tinker with my own design right now. Crossing my fingers she can convert her WP designs to Blogger!

8. A reader sent me an e-mail containing links to her photos doing some of my recipes! I'm overwhelmed because I'm NOT good in cooking. I really just get lucky with all of the recipes I mix and match. Lord, is this a sign? Lol!

9. Finally finished all my backlogged office work! As of this writing, I have nothing to do for the rest of the day except work on updates and follow-ups. YAY! It felt orgasmic to cross out that final task on my list.

10. Today is payday Friday! I'm not going anywhere due to the weather. But still thankful because I get to pay my bills on time, huh. I want to hold on to my money a little longer before I do so which is why I've decided to pay my bills this afternoon, hahaha!

Anyway, as mentioned, I will be staying in because I've been out and about for three weeks now and my room looks like a scene from Tarzan. I have to sort my stuff, clean my kitchen and do the laundry! I will also be doing a few kitchen experiments. I'll be cooking Steak for the first time (wish me luck!) and I'll also be doing a new version of my No-bake Blueberry Cheesecake. Cheers to the weekend!

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, by Ochi Bernadas

Nuffnang

Find Your Perfect Home With Property24

Most of the time. I get a bad case of the envies while endlessly scrolling on Facebook or Instagram seemingly looking for something to complete my day. I see a lot of my friends working their way in the corporate ladder while managing to start their own families at the same time. While I'm just here, still trying to figure out what to do in the next 5 minutes. I see them buying houses, cars and diapers to name a few! I mean, when did we become such adults for us to be buying diapers??? Really?! My heart sort of sinks a little while questioning my goals in life, as if I haven't been working enough to actually enjoy all the nice things in life.

But then again I remember an advice that a wise friend told me some years ago. Everything you see in social media is filtered. Not just the photos, but more importantly, the content. If that friend you're envious with had a fight with his/her partner, would they post it in social media? I don't think so. Most of the things we see either on Facebook or Instagram are most likely the happy parts of one's life. Because, who would want to visit a feed that full of negativity? Uhm, no one. It's not rocket science, really. But sometimes, it gets to me. Which is why I've been trying to social media nowadays. Lately I've been a frequent visitor of TedX (for my classes), EDx (for free learning), Zalora (for shopping! Hihi) and #Property24. I'm pretty sure you're all familiar with the first 3 sites that I've mentioned, so let's talk more about Property24.

Ever since I was a kid, it has been my dream to have my own house--just like Barbie, lol. Growing up, I thought I only had to work and things will eventually fall into place. But boy was I wrong. Being an adult (naks!), I've now come to realize that it takes more than hard work to be able to buy your own property. It takes commitment, dedication and the right amount of research too. A good reason why I've been frequenting #Propery24PH. The site is a platform that offers and extensive list of real estate properties complete with various financing options (very important!) you can choose from. I know I cannot afford any of the properties on my list yet, but it keeps me inspired. Let's see them!

I was born and raised in Pampanga. Once I've saved enough money, the first house that I'll buy will be a house for my parents. Not because it's my job as the eldest daughter but because I want to give back. Repay them for all the hard work they've done so I can go to school and life a comfortable life. It's the #PerfectHome for them because it has a spacious backyard for my Mom and a huge garage for my Dad.

At this point, I'm still thinking if a condo unit is a wise investment. But I think it's practical to find a home close to where you work. With the horrendous traffic worsening everyday in Metro Manila, your daily commute should be the least of your worries. Just imagine how much time is wasted on horrible traffic everyday! Which is why my next selection is a condo unit in Ortigas. It's not small, it's not that big either. Just enough for all my weird stuff, lol.

While we're at it, who wouldn't want to have a house near the beach? It's not by the beach because I I'd prefer a lot that can be a feasible area for sustainable livelihood. I can probably take care of farm animals and build some sort of shelter for them. When they're old enough, I can sell them and that would sustain my awesome Island life, hehe.

Up next is another condo unit in Quezon City. It's spacious and it will have a lot of room for visitors. Most of the friends I made while working here in the Metro come from QC. Every once in a while, I would want to surprise them with sumptuous dinner and maybe share stories over wine and cheese.

Last but not the least would be a big, cozy house in Baguio City. I've mentioned several times in this blog how and why it's my favorite city. That may change in the future, of course. But even if it does, I would still want to have a place I can go to whenever I feel lost and I don't want to be found. And, who wouldn't want to wake up in a cold, foggy morning while you're wrapped in your blanket?? Ugh, best feeling ever! And that, my friends, is the reason why I would still want a house in Baguio City.

Looking at my frequently visited sites, I realized that in a way, I really have matured. I used to stay up late stalking people on Facebook and Instagram; Getting envious of their lifestyle and material possessions, but not anymore. Property24 may just be a site to some, but it's a reminder of reality for me. Looking at the prices, payment options, financing terms and what not sort of makes me feel that I have to think about these responsibilities because I'm not growing any younger. And at my age, I would definitely love to snag one of these listings in the near future. It feels good to daydream, lol. Now, tell me, what would your dream house look like?

Property24 is the fastest growing portal in the Philippines. They Provide an effective online platform leading Real Estate Developers, Agencies and Brokers that allows them to showcase their property listings to a wider audience of qualified prospective buyers.

#PerfectHome #Property24 #Property24PH

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, by Ochi Bernadas

Features

Friday's 10 Happy Things | 1

I've been crazy busy the past few weeks and haven't really found the time to work on my back logs. I'm still in the process of rediscovering tools that will help my blogging life easier. I'm pretty sure there's a more efficient way to make this blog work to my advantage. Easier that what I'm doing right now, lol. Once I've finalized my tools, I'll be sharing them with you guys! Right now, I'm sort of stuck in creating templates, looking for the perfect font, and still trying to find the perfect theme that really encompasses all of me.

Enough about all that insanity; Let's talk happy things! I've been seeing a lot of blog series lately such as The Sunday Currently, Life Lately, What I Ate Wednesdays and Workout Wednesdays to name a few. I've been wondering for quite some time now if I should join the band wagon as it will also help me be consistent in posting articles on my blog. I was leaning towards What I Ate Wednesdays but it dawned on me that my condo has the crappiest lighting in all of Metro Manila and given my busy schedule the past few days, I sometimes don't eat, so....nah. I first read about Friday's 10 Happy Things on Helga's blog and I remember feeling quite light-hearted after doing so. Obviously after a lot of thought and convincing, I decided to go with that blog series. Let's get started!

Going to Balite Falls over the long weekend. They say the week starts on a Sunday right? So I bet this still counts. It was a fun and well-spent afternoon. Will be posting details about the trip soon!
Being well-rested and recharged since I clocked in about 24hrs of extra sleep over the long weekend. I actually brought work with me but I didn't even touch it, lol.
I'm training a new batch of Engineers this week. My previous class was in February so I'm really happy about this. I've made a lot of new connections and already learned a lot in a span of 3 days.
My current class also had a 100% passing rate on their mid-term assessment. That's only possible because of 2 things: 1) I'm an awesome teacher 2) I have a bunch of wonderful and intelligent kiddies.
A previous work connection offered me a freelance job which is something I love doing. Yay to more money and side gigs! Mum about it for now, I don't want to jinx it!
I'm also happy that I finally found the template that I wan't. Bad news is, it's a paid template. Huhu Still contemplating if I'm willing to spend money for a template.
Rediscovering CSS! Since I don't want to spend (lol), I've been trying to code simple stuff like my widgets, hehe. I end up messing up stuff all the time but at least I'm learning!
Team dinner with my boss and my team mate. Uhm, yes. There are only 3 people in our team which is why it's a treat if we get to squeeze a short meeting within the week despite our busy schedules!
Catching up on my TV series! Last night, I finally had the time to watch the finale of Suits and True Detective! Both episodes took me on a roller coaster of messed up emotions but it's fine. Still love both shows!
Thankful and happy that this week is finally over. As much as I had a lot of thinks to be grateful for, I was extremely swamped with work due to several projects running at the same time. I haven't been sleeping well which is why I'm glad I get to clock in more sleep this weekend, hehe.

There you have it, my first Friday's 10 Happy Things. I hope I can be consistent in doing this because it does feel great to look at all the small things we should be happy about. It's also a good way of re-evaluating one's self. Here's to the weekend!