I’m bouncing back this month with a lot of activity, purchases, and updates.
Pimped my home office
While it’s been a month since Manila eased into GCQ, people are still on alert and workplaces haven’t started issuing a return to office directive so quickly, which makes sense considering the daily tally of new (or ‘fresh’) COVID-19 cases in the Philippines has continued to climb and not let up.
The dining chair I’ve been using has been killing my back, so I bought a nice ’90s-style’ office chair from Lazada. I found the back support wasn’t doing much for me, so I also bought a back support thingy, and I think I’ve settled in nicely.
After my chair came in, Ben advised me that I should buy a carpet, rug, or mat to put underneath. That raised my eyebrow a bit, but he explained it’s to protect the floor beneath it. This was very new to me, and struck me as a Western standard of… protecting your home form wear and tear, I guess. Our landlord is a bit of a scrooge and will very likely seek recompense for office-chair tire-tracks on cheap linoleum floors to ‘protect his investment’ [sic]. All this, however, gave me an excuse to browse pretty cloth faux-woven ‘Nordic’ rugs from China.
I have also had a beef with my work laptop’s built-in webcam. It does so poorly in low light, even when I was still working from the office. My teammate James said once that all he could see of me was a silhouette. It doesn’t help that I have my back to the only window in the spare room.
It was a bit frustrating to procure a webcam—it wasn’t like any model would do. I had my eye on the Logitech C922 Pro Stream webcam and after two failed purchases (a failed payment with Abenson Online and a merchant that refunded my purchase after two weeks of no activity on their end), I opened Lazada one day and impulsively bought the Logitech BRIO. Its selling point was video conferencing and ‘outstanding low-light performance’ with its mysterious RightLight™ 3 technology. I got my hopes up, but to my dismay it could only perform so well in what is apparently really, really bad lighting in my room.
So, I did the next best thing. I briefly researched three-point lighting and got a pair of cheap portable LED lights by Neewer. It had a few good reviews on YouTube, emphasis on its being cheap. But it will do.
It was a bit of a disappointing shock when I started the camera and got nowhere near the flattering effects I expected. Maybe I’m uglier* than I think myself to be. I joked to Ben that I thought a professional webcam would make me look prettier, but in reality I just got to see how ugly I am in HD (or 4K, as Logitech BRIO proudly claims).
* I say this lightly. Filipinos are a bit more nonchalant than Westerners when commenting on people’s appearance (acne, weight, etc.). But there is also the general self-esteem thing. I believe that everyone, in their mind’s eye, has a mental image of how they think they look like, based on their glimpses in the mirror and selfies on smartphones. At times cameras (especially those with longer focal lengths) capture how we look, a certain angle, a certain profile, and we do not like it, because it’s not on our terms. I’ve had two people comment on their photos during my wedding, saying they didn’t like how they looked. Truth be told, neither did I, with my own photos, at least not at first.
My workplace released a new WFH policy
In light of the pandemic leading the entire globe to stay at home, my workplace reflected on what the quarantines have taught us, and determined that the pandemic showed us that employees can work from home while maintaining good outputs and outcomes, and can be trusted to reliably perform their job.
Therefore, they released a permanent, hybrid WFH policy wherein we have the option to WFH much more than we previously had. Of course, the policy itself was much more carefully worded to not sound like you’re handed a blank check and never have to show up in the office anymore, but it did present people with a decision to make: how much do I want to WFH? How much will I WFH moving forward?
I was talking to Steve and told him about how restrictions were easing up in the last month, and how people were returning to the office.
‘Do you want to return to the office?’ he asked.
I found the question confronting. One the one hand, I practically thrived for most of the lockdown and loved being home, tending to my plants, and cooking on most days. On the other hand, working in the office brought a comforting structure and routine and brought you outside, in contact with peers and colleagues. Staying at home meant the days just bled together in a monotonous routine, and can sap your energy and mental health just as much as a strenuous commute can. But then, the minimalist in me tells of a certain virtue of not contributing to what is already the worst traffic in the world, of fewer emissions, and of the ‘duty’ of avoiding travel in these times. Also, I don’t know if public transport would ever go back to the way it was before 2020, and so my bus route as I’ve known it probably no longer exists, and I am only willing to spend so much on Grab.
When the pandemic dies down here, to a point where new cases are down to single digits, or are no longer newsworthy, or are no longer a grave public health concern, my view is to maintain my old WFH schedule of Mondays and Fridays, and still come to the office thrice a week. But then, we’ll cross the bridge when we get to it.
Bought fancy, overpriced Crate & Barrel things
Crate & Barrel is well, far above my means if you’re thinking of couches, console tables, and the like. However, I found myself buying some kitchen stuff and it’s actually enhanced our kitchen a great deal.
- spice jar — makes it much easier reach for the salt compared to a regular jar. Ehhe.
- silicone baking sheet — eliminates the need for parchment / wax paper, and is therefore zero-waste
- oil bottle — you can actually ‘drizzle’ olive oil on your vegetables now, as opposed to clumsily dousing it in globs.
- silicone-ended tongs — because apparently this is a rare item and cannot be found in most stores!
- jumbo ice cube tray — Ben super loved this because he no longer needs to pile on the ice on his Sprodka, and the jumbo ice cubes last a while.
- cooling rack — for drying out the deep-fried chicken we’ve been eating as of late.
I started working out again
After three months of no gym, and with no indication from the government that gyms and recreational facilities would be reopening anytime soon, my trainer reached out to me to resume working out via online sessions.
To be completely honest, I wrestled with the thought of working out again. I often complained to Ben that my training sessions were a huge time sink, and after easing into a nice quarantine routine I wasn’t thrilled to break it.
I had prepared so many excuses as to why I couldn’t continue online. No space, no time (!), mental health (because I couldn’t decide whether to continue or not, and it was hounding me)… but in the end I sobered up and realised I do need exercise. Harvard Health recommends at least 2.5 hours of aerobic activity a week. I personally do not care for jogging, let alone with an N95 mask on (it’s hard to breathe in them!)
I bought the mobile tripod and exercise mat from Lazada. Lily personally guaranteed that my mat wouldn’t stay pristine for long; it’s already peppered with punctures and bite marks from her playing.
I have always been partial to strength training, simply because I have no patience for HIIT, was never flexible enough for yoga to be satisfying, and stayed away from Pilates because IMO it’s too ‘white girl’. There is also the emphasis on muscle mass, and how important it is to maintain as you age.
So far the training has done wonders to my mental health as it forced me to keep a morning routine during the week. I also appreciate the face-to-face interaction with my trainer as well.
I haven’t dumbbells yet but for the meantime I use this for one-arm rows:
Had my braces tightened after four months
It’s nearly been a year since I got braces and when I think of how long I need to wear them, I register that I’ve been set back four months. But it’s okay. I’m happy to see Dr. Carol and her assistant healthy and well. I cannot recommend her enough as every time I get my braces tightened, she explains to me what the next steps are for my teeth and how we’re trying to nudge them this way and that. I do believe my teeth have moved very quickly. Right now, my canines have moved backwards completely, and it’s time for all my front teeth to move backwards to fill the gap left by my premolars.
It was interesting to be back in Makati. I got the sense of excitement of just browsing stores and being seated at some nice restaurant trying out new things. It’s made me realise…
My consumer habits are shifting
My daily spending (food, transport) in May halved. (It bounced back to normal levels this month due to the availability for food deliveries once more…) I thought bloggers were exaggerating when they claim to cut their food spending in half just by cooking home more often. But it happened to me.
No constant presence of malls = less consumerism. I get enticed less often to buy the occasional odd item from Muji or the like. (I did, however, relapse pretty hard when I stepped inside Muji at Greenbelt after my dental appointment…)
But also, being home-bound cut all my desire for new clothes, shoes, bags, and the like.
I probably only use about a third of my wardrobe now, as I have a few ‘office’ clothes that are too dressy even for the house, or too uncomfortable—I’ve practically stopped wearing jeans and trousers.
The few times I go out to Shang for groceries, I slip into something comfortable, which to me are just one of my short dresses or a top-and-skirt combo.
Speaking of which, I realise I’ve been wearing this top-and-skirt combo for at least ten years, now:
Hurley shirt + blue floral skirt. Someone pointed out the brand to me (I suppose it’s a good brand?) and I told them quite lamely that I thought the shirt said ‘Flurley’. The skirt is something my mom wore when she worked at JC Penney in the late 2000s.
So, I remember wearing this to class in college, about 9-10 years and 15 lbs ago. Back then I cinched the skirt with two bobby pins to adjust the hem to my waist.
Clothing aside, I have also practically stopped wearing makeup on most days. There’s not much point putting it on when everyone’s wearing masks out, and the foundation, lipstick, and blush all stick to the mask. Which means my best friends are concealer, eye shadow, and eyeliner, all to make the only visible part of my face look good.
I also no longer have a concept of an everyday bag. At some point I opened my work backpack and realised I’ve forgotten what its contents are. I no longer reach for a handkerchief every morning to put in my bag. I forgot I had a work ID because it hasn’t seen the light of day in months. I have two handbags in the closet, unused. Same for shoes and outfits
Ben helped me declutter big-time
Some of the things we got rid of by donating:
- my wedding dress
- my bridesmaid dresses
- add the clothes I told myself I would sell on Carousell
- empty boxes in the spare room closet (we threw this in the recycling)
- Wacom Intuos tablet, which I was able to sell for PHP 1,700 to a man who used PayPal to pay me, which is pretty rare and staggering in the Philippines.
This may not seem like a dramatic list, but it literally made our spare room closet useable again. Not to mention cleared the clutter of my mind. I had spent the last year trying to sell my wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses on Carousell, to no serious buyers.
Mid-year review of goals
I failed my weight loss goal (by gaining weight, lol!) and my habits spiralled into too much booze, too much screen time, and so on. I’ve picked myself up and am trying to return to good habits.
I’m especially disappointed in my lack of piety, lack of discipline, and aversion to sacrifice. This June was particularly disappointing because:
- I missed the ember days (I totally forgot because I put off making my June cover on my bullet journal and didn’t plan the month until mid-June.)
- I missed Ascension Day.
- I missed Pentecost.
- I missed Corpus Christi.
When I say that I missed these days, I mean I didn’t do any observation of them at all. Not an online mass, not a single prayer, not a single act of devotion.
I finally sat down this Sunday to watch my parish’s Sunday mass live stream, and also transferred sixteen Sundays’ worth of offertory and second collections to their bank account.
Speaking of piety—
I got a free copy of Credo from the Tan Books
I say this as a Filipino Catholic—I owe my return to the faith to reddit, a certain Father Casey Cole, OFM on YouTube, US-run Catholic websites, and one exceptional Father Roberto Ma. Buenconsejo, SJ. Everything I ever needed to know, or needed answers to, and every nudge that led me back to the faith, I owe largely to strangers and people who do not know me, but choose to evangelise and profess the faith online.
One thing that keeps coming up on r/Catholicism for any adult wanting to know more about Catholicism is a program called the RCIA, or the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. From what I could gather, it’s a program lasting several months where you are taught all the basic tenets of Catholicism, especially clarifying hard-hitting questions and common misconceptions about the Catholic faith. It culminates to the Sacrament of Confirmation during the Easter Vigil, which to me is a very beautiful way to enter the faith once you find that you truly want it.
As far as I could tell, there wasn’t any of that in the Philippines, and most Catholics, even devout ones, tend to practice their faith on their terms, or practice it culturally. So I got really excited when someone shared the you can get a copy of Credo for free. To be clear, any parish can organise and host its own RCIA. What I understand is that Credo is just the particular RCIA program by the Thomistic Institute.
Get them here: https://www.tanbooks.com/credo-pdf-the-catechist-and-participant
Credo content relies on video content, which could be purchased separately (I think it’s free.)
As RCIA seems to be designed with groups and sessions in mind, a good alternative, if you’re interested in the Catholic faith, is to follow Coming Home Network’s the Bible and Catechism in one year plan.
Have I mentioned how much I rate Lazada?
I know there is a tendency to replace shopping at stores with online shopping. Nonetheless, my last several purchases (office chair, webcam, lights, rug, mini tripod, exercise mat) all have had a direct purpose, particularly to maintain my life and habits during this pandemic. Not to mention these are items you cannot casually swing by for in Megamall one afternoon.
My experience with Lazada has been dominantly positive. Payment is no-fuss, deliveries are clear and straightforward, often earlier than projected, and the two refunds I had to make were processed immediately. Contrast this to what I consider the joke that is Shopee. I have only had one positive experience there, and the rest of that sad platform is a wild jumble of merchants who have nonexistent stocks and misleading photos, and merchants who are so afraid of the process that one disputed my refund on the grounds that the product hadn’t returned to her yet! Lazada is true e-commerce done right. Shopee is what Filipinos think e-commerce is, while refusing to let go of the cash basis, all the while the merchants refuse to take responsibility for deliveries.
Plants, food, and kitties
My Instagram is filled with them! Check them out here.
Oh, and I started watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Thank you, Chad and senpai for the rec! I’m still in season one because I watch HIMYM for lunch and B99 for dinner. Takes so far:
- I like Rosa.
- Amy is insufferable, which is odd because I feel like she’s the one I should be able to relate to the most.
- Charles is so pure and wholesome.
- I like Holt.
- Jake is OK I guess.