2023 Recap

Happy New Year, everyone!

 

This has been long overdue but here it is. 2023 was one heck of a long fruitful, challenging, and self-questioning kind of year. For the most part, I was clueless if I was doing the right thing or not. Yes kids, we adults still go through that kind of phase. And it's okay! I just like to think that my life is like a movie and the plot thickens when faced with hardships. You know silver linings... that's kind of my life now..

Perhaps the highlight of 2023 for me is my job. I got hired as a freelancer for a real estate company. It made my life better and I'm just thankful to be able to earn enough and some more to spoil myself and my family. This leads us to another achievement, my new phone! I got myself an iPhone and a Samsung phone for my dad. Being able to buy your wants without guilt feels so damn good. I also got my 3rd and fourth tattoos and hopefully a 5th this year. It's not a lot. I wasn't the most spontaneous and adventurous woman in the room. Honestly, I still have a lot left on my 2023 bucket list that I wasn't able to tick off. But heyyy. as long as I live I'll have years and years to do those. Right. PROBABLY THE EXACT SAME THING I SAID TO MYSELF LAST YEAR. 

Also, I'm proud to say that I quit vaping and am 4 months clean! It was soo damn hard. Perhaps sometimes I still struggle with it from time to time. I threw out all my vapes though and have been off of them since then. When I think about the times I vaped, I can't even begin to imagine how addicted I become. So much so that I'd be in a bad mood if I ran out of juice or extra pods in the middle of the night. And when I go out or go to the mall, I make sure to charge them and sneakily vape in the restrooms. Some of my friends used to send me reels or posts about how vaping is bad for one's health. I'm aware of the repercussions but I remember justifying and I hated myself for it. The moment I went to the ER, I knew it was my last straw. I had to stop or else I'll pay for it with my life. I often told myself and promised a few people I would stop, but it became more apparent that I had to do it sooner than I expected to. Another obvious reason why is that I'm always with my nephew and even if I don't vape in front of him or in the same room, it's still a health hazard for a baby and I don't want him to have any health complications because of second-hand smoking. 

Honestly speaking, since I got hospitalized, I have become more fragile than ever. I used to be so much heavier once before but never felt this. I palpitate with literally everything I do or consume. Esp. coffee. Good thing I wasn't much of a coffee addict. Extreme emotions could trigger some sort of panic attack if I don't control or calm myself down. Sometimes even lying down in my bed could be difficult to breathe.  I was never the same woman. That is why I plan to focus more on my health this year and get in good shape. Still, am grateful to be alive others have it rough. 

To my future kids, if you read this, don't smoke cigarettes or even vape! Take it from your mama, she suffered a lot. And nope, vaping isn't cool and it still has the same effect as smoking cigars. Be responsible adults.

Another thing I kind of stayed away from was alcohol haha! who would've thought? I mean I do drink occasionally but if I do, I make sure to consume just the right amount. I no longer drink til there's no tomorrow. Believe it or not, this wasn't because of health concerns, I just prefer sparkling wine now. Like the Tita in me has fully evolved. lol I'm leaning more toward a laid-back, cafe, chill woman. 

Here's my 2023 wrapped!

Last year, I was able to dine at 24 Restaurant

1.) Sukiya 
2.) El Poco (Taft)
3.) Kikufuji Izakaya
4.) 102 Izakaya
5.) The French Baker

6.) Landers
7.) Musashitei Musashi Maru
8.) Bulalo Capital
9.) La Ragazza 
10.) Katherine's Cafe

11.) Racks
12.) Banapple
13.) Gringo's
14.) Ginza Gyu
15.) Tuan-Tuan

16.) Mitsuyado Ramen Shokudo
17.) Marugame
18.) Four Seasons
19.) Silantro
20.) Kenji Tei

21.) El Pollo Loco
22.) Buca Di Beppo
23.) Goto Tendon

24.) Peri-Peri

Tried 22 Cafes/Milktea Shops

1.) Kaulayaw Cafe
2.) Tokyo Matcha
3.) Tealive
4.) Bijou
5.) Velvets Cafe
6.) King & Queen Tea
7.) Work of Love Cafe
8.) Paik's Coffee
9.) UCC Park Cafe
10.) Doppio Cafe

11.) Founder's Donuts
12.) Pick Up Coffee
13.) Caffeena
14.) The Curator

15.) One Zo Tapioca
16.) Arabica Coffee
17.) Cafe Infinite
18.) Cafe Pocofino

19.) Kara & Kal 

20.) Baristart Coffee

21.) Homu Cafe

22.) Choco-late de Batirol

Had 5 Staycations

1.) Gramercy Residences

2.) Deca Homes

3.) Air Residences

4.) Prime Residences

5.) Hop Inn

3 Trips

1.) Manuel Uy Beach

2.) Jam's Floating Beach House

3.) Pansol, Laguna

Attended 2 concerts

1.) Bobapalooza

2.) Bruno Mars

Had 2 additional tattoos tallying to 4!

To my Netflix Department. 

Watched 3 iconic long-running sitcoms!!

note: kids, mama recommends "The Big Bang Theory"!!!!

Out of the three highlighted shows, the very first one I watched was "How I Met Your Mother" which gave me so many life lessons. Not only did they have comedy but they also tackled real-life situations. This show gave me a different outlook on life and I never understood why everyone felt off with the ending, it truly is a masterpiece. After a couple more reruns of HIMYM, I started binge-watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S, honestly I didn't quite like the first few episodes but I guess it was because I had to adjust comedy and character-wise. It did grow on me over time though and I fell in love with it. The comedy is top-tier! it's my go-to show when I just want to watch something light and funny. The passing of Matthew Perry made me cry. It was so sudden and I was just learning about his drug problems so to wake up the next day to find out that he was gone was like a stab in my chest. :(

 I started "The Big Bang Theory" around the first week of October but then it was so hard to pick up the jokes especially when it circles around scientific stuff so much so that I dropped it for a while. I swear this show made me regret not taking an interest in Physics at all! I resumed binging it around the last week of November and I wouldn't have picked it back up if I wasn't running out of series to binge. And so I gave it another chance and it was the best decision ever! Sheldon used to be so difficult to understand at times. He could be selfish and narcissistic but his character development over the years proved that even a geek could have a change of heart when in love. I'm such a ShAmy fan!

 TBBT also ran for 12 years and I wish they could've gone a couple more seasons but it was the best ending they could've come up with with ShAmy winning the Nobel and Sheldon kind of having a redemption arc in his acceptance speech. It was the best and I cried like a baby watching it. 

And you know you just don't stop obsessing over a show once you're done. For me, it was the random funny YouTube clips from the show, another 4 sets of reruns of the whole series, a couple of  TBBT-inspired shirts, and a Sheldon Funk Pop!! YES, I AM THAT ADDICTED!

Not to mention the new-found admiration and love I have for Jim Parsons! Don't call me out for crushing so hard on a 50-year-old gay man. I love him with all my heart. 💕

1.) The Big Bang Theory 💖

2.) How I Met Your Mother

3.) F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

4.) Peaky Blinders

5.) Inventing Anna

6.) Dynasty

7.) Emily in Paris 

8.) Dead to Me

9.) Santa Clarita Diet (canceled)

10.) You S3 (unfinished)

11.) First Love

12.) The Glory

13.) Brooklyn Nine-Nine

14.) Young Sheldon

Anime Series

Ps. le fave anime has ended 😩💔ma kokoro hurts!

1.) Attack on Titan Ending part 1

2.) Attack on Titan Ending part 2

3.) Jujutsu Kaisen S2

4.) Horimiya S2

5.) Spy X Family S2

6.) My Happy Marriage

7.) A Silent Voice 

8.) Junji Ito Maniac's Series (unfinished)

Movies

 I watched tons of Disney films since I got my Disney+ subscription so forgive me for craving a little magic in my life.

1.) Luckiest Girl Alive

2.) Princess Diaries 1

3.) Princess Diaries 2

4.) The Little Mermaid

5.) Encanto

6.) What's Your Number

7.) The Proposal

8.) What Happens in Vegas

9.) Shrek 1

10.) Shrek 2

11.) Shrek 3

12.) Snow White

13.) Haunted Mansion (in Cinema)

14.) A Man Called Otto

15.) Hustlers

16.) Bride Wars

17.) Good on Paper

18.) Falling for Christmas

19.) I Love You, Man

20.) Nowhere

Documentaries

Surprisingly, I didn't watch much crime docu last year.

1.) Murdaugh Murders

2.) The Raincoat Killer

3.) Top UFO Secret Projects

4.) Alien Worlds (unfinished)

5.) Cunk on Earth 

Discovered new artists! 

I was so disappointed I wasn't able to score tix for their concerts. :(

1.) Laufey

2.) Sabrina Carpenter

Most played song 

Spotify

Youtube Music

Wrote about 20 songs and posted 8 of them! I like to say having your ukulele near you all the time has its perks, Sometimes you just grab it and let the music take over your soul. While most songs I do are Taylor-inspired, I'd also like to include Lafey, Bruno Mars, and Lana Del Rey. Sabrina Carpenter too, became more popular with "Feather", this year. I wanna say that I've been trying to gatekeep her and Laufey but having so much talent can really get you out in the world and as a fan, you'd love your fave artists to soar and receive the support they deserve, I love them so much and not being able to get their concert tix hurts like a mf! Please do not sleep on them. 

Some expectations for this year?

hmmm perhaps to be more "out there". I wanna go paragliding if given a chance. Despite me having an extreme fear of heights. I kinda wanna try it. Oh and also wanna try going to a shooting range. I honestly think it's the best therapy for rage. The second-best alternative on shooting someone lol 

Clay pottery sounds nice too. I might try workshops. There are just too many activities and experiences that I have yet to try and I couldn't be more excited to tick those off my bucket list one by one. 

Last year taught me that it's okay to cut people off from your life. Ending connections that aren't even worth keeping. I have never felt this carefree in a while. Literally woke up one day and knew I'd moved on. Flashbacks from the things you don't want to remember may come but it's how you know you grew out of it. And it can't and will never be able to control you. I have come to peace with my mind and my heart. It wasn't an easy battle when those two were always on the warpath. And as cliche as it sounds, it's true that time can heal wounds. 

This has been a heck of a long post. I have more to say but I guess I'll just update this if it ever crosses my mind again. 

Stay alive and I'll see you on my December - January blog!

xoxo

Grasya