As I got busy updating my Son’s Facebook page- I almost forgot to check on my website. It’s nice to be back.

Just wanna re-share my post way back 2017 about myself on my TUMBLR account for a little reminiscin!

Written in Tagalog- English 🙂

10 real facts about me.

Taken from the dashboard.

1. To start with, I have a keen sense of smell, rather a very sensitive smell. I guess that explains my OCD.

2. I’m very bad in directions. Minsan kahit ilang beses ko ng napuntahan hindi ko na kayang balikan. Mahina akong mag memorize ng mga roads and buildings, etc etc. Not only that, kahit madalas ko ng nilalakaran but when I started on the other way around like pabalik, or reverse direction na sa kabilang street ako maglalakad even on the same road maliligaw na ko for sure. Grabe talaga kabobohan ko when it comes to direction and even when giving directions to others, don’t trust me as hirap akong mag explain. Lagi kong sinasabi, “on the corner of”…or “that same road we used to pass by something…“. Once nga naligaw ako sa sarili kong flat. I just moved in then when I went to work, pagbalik ko nakalimutan ko kung anong number ng building ko.

There was also a time when I’m still working in a Telecommunications Company, naligaw ako kasi di ko matandaan kung saan ako bababa considering na mga 2 days na kong pumapasok.

3. I’m not good in Math. Kapag numbers, I do not only double check, minsan 10 times paulit ulit kasi nga ayokong magkamali lalo kapag work related. Even at work, what I’d do, I would observe kung paano ginagawa ng mga ka office mate ko and then I practice myself when I’m free.

4. I’m a sleepyhead. I can sleep 16 hours straight. The longest time I slept was 4PM then  I woke up the next day at the same time. (Well, it’s not continuous because I get up around two to three times to pee and drink water). 8 hours of sleep is not enough for me that’s why I’m taking advantage of the “bed-all-day” during my off days/weekends.

5. I’m very observant to almost everything. Everywhere I go. People, Places, things, food, movies, etc. I just love to sit back and observe. That’s also how I see people’s inner personality and character. And if I keep an eye on something or someone, I would watch them more closely. How they talk, how they laugh, how they speak, how they eat, how they move. Everything about them. 

6. I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). I have this habit of doing things on a cycle  and I have obsession related to perfection. I’m not that competitive person,  but I want to do everything in a very organized manner closed to almost perfection particularly to things I’m responsible with. I don’t wait for tomorrow if I can do it today. More so, I would never lie idle and relax if there are things to be done.  I’m keen to cleaning. Ung malinis sa iba, minsan madumi pa sa tingin ko. Basta I have my own way of doing things according to my standards. Mas gusto ko ang linis ko. Even sa cupboards, gusto ko laging arranged, organized and in order. But i dont demand people to do things, basta nakikita ko at hindi maayos sa paningin ko, I do it myself. Hindi lang sa mga gamit ko even sa gamit ng iba, at hindi lang din sa mga kinalat ko, pati na din sa iba, kapag nakita kong nakakalat, ako na ang kusang magliligpit. Ayoko ng madumi. That’s one thing that immediately spoils my mood and irritates me fast.

I can’t leave the house in the morning with a messy bed and floor, Otherwise, I have the tendency to think about that at work, which would bother me for the rest of the day. My clothes always have to be neatly folded and hung in the cupboard. My kitchen has to be clean and tidy. No dust. I do the same thing over and over again, repeatedly. Everything has to be properly arranged- even those that are not visible to the eyes- like under the sink, inside the cupboard, etc. All the labels have to be facing the front. 

7. Hindi ako madamot.  Whether in money or in food or any other material things na meron ako. That’s one thing. If maliliit na amount of money lang na hindi naman ganun kabawasan para kwentahin pa, i dont mind them, hindi natin pag uusapan. I don’t count things na nagastos or nabigay, or kulang or dapat equally shared. But I could be maldita as well, and it shows when I start to dislike any person, no eye contact, and as if they are never existing.

8. What else? I have this unique charm I know, (hahaha!), but honestly, yes I do. Na palaging nakaka attract sa iba wherever I go. Madalas akong special treatment. The fact that I don’t easily get comfortable with strangers,  not that mahiyain ako because I’m not like that. It’s just that I prefer to sit and observe first and make myself and everyone else at ease and comfortable with me before I finally open up.

9. I have trypophobia.  I find small holes, clusters, in different or irregular patterns gross & disgusting that would make me shiver and throw up.

10. I value privacy and my personal space more than anything else, and at the same time, I value people’s privacy as well. I hate gossiping. I hate dramas or publicly spilling out their emotions and burdens, more so keeping my life open for everyone to see.  There’s always the right place and right time to express your sentiments with the right people.

Additional: Fun fact

I don’t check other profiles that much. It’s not that I’m a narcissist or something, but I would rather check my own profiles and blogs I run and immediate family more often than other people. Also. I would rather spend time with family than friends especially when I’m on Philippine vacation. I would rather spend vacations or dine out, or out of town with them rather than with other people- even friends. Why would I waste time and money with others if I could share and enjoy it with my family? Is it family oriented? Well, not that much, but my happiness only revolves around family, more than anyone else.

End.

FEB. 17 2017

Understanding the word “minimalism” only depends on how you apply this to your life. I have this unique practice of minimalism according to my preference since I do have a lot of personal belongings at home like women’s stuff and I do buy things always in a pair in case I ran out of the other ones.

I believe that if you are happy with your 1000 personal stuff and belongings and it makes your life better and served their purpose, then no need to get rid of them. It’s actually just a matter if you are no longer happy with these clutters and stress and consumerism, then you have to break free and get rid of the valueless stuff.

My Online Life:

I practice minimalism in a way that I do not add random friends/strangers in any of my social media platforms like FB aside from those I personally know or at least have interaction with.

I don’t follow many people on IG, since I could always use the search tool if I want to check something or anyone. I even remove some of my posts and photos whenever I get the feeling it’s too crowded.

I tend to unfollow people (but won’t remove them from my friend list) if they always flood my newsfeed for no reason at all, (but hey, let me just remind you that I have nothing against that since it’s their prerogative but if their visibility starts to annoy me, then I will simply unfollow, bitching inside, some people deserved to be unfollowed, haha), kidding.

My Real Life:

Home: Getting rid of valueless/eye-sore stuff. I do de-cluttering on a regular basis to get rid of the things I don’t want anymore and donate these items in the donation boxes found everywhere on the streets here like clothes, shoes, and bags that are still good and reusable.

I don’t buy things on impulse, not unless I can’t live without it, haha. I always think before I buy. I do not hoard things and just keep them in the flat. If you happen to visit our flat, you will only find whatever we actually need. There are no many decorations, (I called them a wall flower) and stuff that we don’t need much.

I like my home to be simple, clean, organized, with minimal eye-sore. I have only few sets of everything from kitchen wares to beddings, what’s wrong with wash and use, anyways?

Be happy. Be content in everything you’ve got not to mention save and invest. This will definitely help you in the future.

Work: Detaching my Personal life to my career life. Yeah, that may sound odd, but it helps a lot. I go to work mainly with the purpose to work only. Go to work , get salary & go home. It may sound odd, but this is the best way not to drag yourself to any unwanted issues.

Having one partner in life, immediate family, and few really good friends. What else do you need?

This lifestyle requires a lot of responsibility and commitment. But with this, I get the privacy, mental peace, and the freedom I’ve always wanted in life.

Remember, fewer people, less stress, fewer things, more appreciation, simplified life, a happier life!

There you go my simple ways of practicing Minimalism at its best. You may give it a try.

Originally posted on my Tumbler account- 2017.

“IF WE KNEW THEN, WHAT WE KNOW NOW, WOULD WE NOT NEED TO BE HERE RIGHT NOW?”

It’s been a while since I last made a personal review of a series I have seen.

For the past couple of years, I have been binge-watching a lot of foreign series/dramas/Rom-com/Action (Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and even Spanish), and although I love most of them, there are still a few that really captured my heart.

So, I highly recommend this 2017, a 12 episodes Korean Drama titled “Couple in the backtrack” (Go back couple in some Countries)

It’s available on NETFLIX.

Spoiler ahead:

This is the story of a couple in the present day with one child having been worn out by life, frustrated at how things didn’t turn out the way they imagined would be years ago, and about to part ways (get divorced) due to their individual differences, with lack of proper communication, holding their bottled grudges towards each other through the years without realizing at that time that they have different circumstance in life, until they were given the chance to go back in their College days once again when they first met.

This is a story of a housewife and a mother, struggling each day and feeling neglected as a person.

And a story of a husband who despite being a hard worker, he only earns very little income and is constantly bullied by his superiors. Although he only want the best for his family, he always ended up feeling sorry for himself.

And with this situation, making them both unhappy.

Transported back to 18 years ago in 1999, with their past memory still intact and having their life knowledge in the present day, they started to see life from a different perspective. 

They started to re-discover themselves, giving them the second chance to explore what might have been in the past.

Being partners in life for years and having the chance to go back and re-do things, and the joy that comes with being youth again, they were initially thrilled and excited about what life would have been without the other, and they started to do things differently. 

I love the way the female lead tried to re-construct her relationship with her mother in the new 1999, knowing that she will lose her about 10 years later.  

The only sad thing about this part is having to be constantly reminded that she has a child whom she is 100% connected with in the future which she often dreams about.

But again, going back to the past, their life knowledge changes the way they see things at the moment which is way too different from how they handled things when they were in the actual 1999, their short trip to the past reminded them of how they first fell in love.

In the end, they still choose the same road they walked in the past, but this time, they appreciate life even more & appreciate each other a little bit more. Going back helped them understand each other better.

They still choose each other.

This series brought me to tears for most of the part. Seeing them fall apart & going back again to where they started really moved me. How true love will always prevail. 

This is not just a typical love story – but it is a story of Life as a whole package. Love and relationships, family, friends, Love of a mother to her child, Love for our parents, Love of a father to his family, and how far he would go just to fulfill his role & responsibility as a family man. 

IK, this is just a fictional story, but what if we were given the chance to go back in time without forgetting our present life, would we choose the same path the second time around, or would we re-do things of what we have done before to change our destiny?

Tbh, I’m quite fascinated with time travel things, I love to watch movies & series with the same plot.

I always wonder what would happen if we were given the chance to see our future ahead of time & go back to the past and re-do things that didn’t go well in our future life.

Maybe Life would be easy. We will have the chance to avoid wrongdoings/bad decisions we’ve made in our lives if we were able to see the outcome of these choices. 

But of course, something like that would never happen.

LIFE REALIZATIONS WHILE WATCHING THIS:

1. Communication is ALWAYS the key.
2. There are two sides to the story.
3. We can’t read minds.
4. Everyone has their own struggles.
5. It’s not okay to disregard each other’s feelings thinking they are always fine.
6. In life, we sometimes neglect the one we love, maybe a husband, a family, a friend, not because we do not love them anymore, but because we were occupied with other serious things like what we have to put on our table.
7. Destiny will always lead you in the same way.

Lesson they learned- A short trip to the past is to return & cherish what they have, even more.

If you are craving some light drama that highlights relationships, family relationships, marriage, parenting, and friendships, then this is worth watching.

Rate: 8/10

BAHRAIN MUSEUM- Finally, we’ve been able to take the toddler to the National Museum!

As far as I know, this is the largest and oldest only Museum in Bahrain (oh well, correct me if I’m wrong) and it’s one of BH most popular tourist attractions.

Going inside the complex, you will see archaeological artifacts collection of Bahrain’s history.

The Museum consists of halls which named as:

1. Hall of Dilmun
2. Hall of Dilmun Graves
3. Hall of Tylos and Islam
4. Hall of Documents and Manuscripts
5. Hall of Customs and Traditions
6. Hall of Traditional Trades and Crafts

And from all of that, what I loved most in the exhibit are the Hall of customs & traditions where you get to see how they recreate Bahrain and their customary daily life years ago before the technology, their tradition for childbirth, childhood, what they do for a living, source of income, their household & structure, their fashion, how they get married, and a lot more of their culture and of course ,the Hall of Traditional Trades & Crafts & their recreation of the tradition Bahrain souq (marketplace), where you will enjoy looking at the small shops complete with grocery store, barber shop, bakery, carpenter, tobacco shop, vegetable shop, goldsmith among others.

I always enjoy going back to the Museum and even how many times I’ve been there before, three or four times, I guess but years in between, it always feels like the first time for me, but naturally, I enjoyed it better today with Jan Francisrain!

I just don’t know if the toddler enjoys as much as I did, but at least just taking photos of him in there for my record and souvenir is a lot more fun for the Nanay! 🙂

Please enjoy some of the photos taken by yours truly;

03.06.2022- Another bucket list unlocked!

Just like any typical toddler, my son always loves the water, swimming, and even just looking at the fountains, the beach, the waterplay etc etc.

Since, it is our Tatay Birthday, we decided to let him experience riding the yacht, and yes, as expected, he super loved the experience, and  again, no questions asked, he doesn’t want to leave the boat after the round trip.

This round-trip boat ride is located in Bahrain Bay but you can also start in The Avenues Mall. We paid Bhd2 for two-way for about 15-20 minutes.

The trip starts from Bahrain Bay, and will go round the Reef Island, will pass the Four Seasons hotel and the Avenues, and go back to Bahrain Bay.

Needless to say, the nice weather when you are in the sea, in the boat, the view, and the happiness of Jan Francisrain is way too incomparable.

More than 10 years ago, you can go round and see the whole Island of Bahrain, our second home in a week or or less. The Island was still small that time until all these land reclamations works started by filling up the sea’s with rock and cement to create a new lands/cities, building constructions here and there, and then Bahrain became double than the original size before.

Overall, , Bahrain is safe to visit, as crime rates in Bahrain are relatively low and violent crime is rare and it’s also an extremely easy country to settle in particularly to expats looking for a job, I would say that Bahrain is one of the safest place to work in the whole world for foreigners.

Here’s a picture or two from some of the places you would love to see in Bahrain (pictures are mine but credits to the model and my toddler for taking his part in this photo shoot)

To be honest, there are a lot more places to visit in Bahrain now if you are looking for some recreation after a hard day’s work.

From different restaurants of all types, from fastfood, to casual, to formal, to pizzeria’s and cafe’s- From different hotels of all stars, beach resorts, amusement parks, playgrounds and kid’s play, to public swimming pools, malls and cinemas- you will find a lot of them in Bahrain now and will never ran out of choices/options.

As I always say, I love BH- our second home! Dare to visit! 🙂

Take your family and enjoy fun rides along with super fun attractions for everyone at Boulevard 202, located in Muharraq Grand Park!

The entrance fee is 300fils each for adults and free for babies and small toddlers up to 2 years old. Ticket rides are Bhd1.5 for adult rides and 500fils for kiddie rides.

It’s a high-profile amusement park destination with giant dinosaurs, an instagrammable view that is perfect for a trying-hard photographer like me, free kids’ play area, and a lot of fun rides for adults and toddlers with the ticket.

I guess the main attraction of the park is the Boulevard- Circus with tickets at Bhd5 for kids and bhd8 for adults that features high-calibre acts from the professional performers around the world- as they say.

Also, If you want to scare yourself, try the Zombie Zone area for bhd3/ticket.

But then, you can just walk around, enjoy the free sight and let your kids play in the fountain- which I liked the most, with the word “Muharraq Garden” and some stars and other shapes made of water that attractively falls in the middle of the fountain that looks enticing to me while I sit on the luminous benches in different colors.

I have seen that there are a lot of coffee shops and snack kiosks inside in case you get hungry and you can sit comfortably on the cozy wooden chairs and tables that are cutely made rounding the palm tree with lights.

So as usual, my toddler loved the rides and he doesn’t want to go out. He always loves the amusement parks, and once you take him there, it’s better you get him the ride all you can or else, you will spend a lot of money paying for tickets one by one, but unfortunately, they do not offer the ride all you can so I have to buy the ticket rides separately for 500fils.