What made me happy, as of May 22, 2023

May 25, 2023 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

Status report: Not exercising as much as I need due to extenuating circumstances, been upping my caffeine, not eating great.

The happy thoughts of the previous week:

1. Getting a little bit of perspective. I have been so out of sorts lately that I forgot about other people. Hearing from others and making sure I have all the pieces helps. I’ve been drowning in my own internal monologue that it helps to hear someone else’s voice.

2. Trying new food. I am a sucker for hotpot. Ever since my first Taiwan trip with the best friend, I’ve been trying to find where else to get hotpot that fun. So far, I found one, but in Southern California, which is less than useless to me because that’s even farther than Taipei. Having tried Jiang Nan this week, it was good, but still not amazing. Here’s to the hotpot hunt!

3. Fun coincidences. I have been talking about a watch with my sister and a friend for the past few months, and last week, at a lunch with a coworker, she showed up wearing one. I took it as a sign to get one myself. Did i go to all the stores in the country that had it and failed miserably? Yes, yes I did. But i’m not giving up. I want to get it from the actual store. Use that escort money (inside joke) for something that actually lasts.

Songs of the week:

Sway My Way by R3HAB, Amy Shark

Lost by Frank Ocean

Upside Down by JVKE

Lovers by Anna of the North

What made you happy lately?

-j

Cheese · Gratitude · Jodythinks · Love/Life · Thanks

What made me happy as of week of May 15, 2023

May 15, 2023 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

Status report: Only one hive breakout! But the whole week my brain wouldnt let me sleep. So much to think about, and I need to give myself some space and boundaries. Work in progress.

I had some bright spots. It was a rollercoaster of a week and there were a lot of things on my mind. Good things. Crazy things. Out of bound things. But mostly, good.

1. Having an aha moment with my (adopted) team. Sometimes it’s the big things, sometimes it the small things. This week, it felt like this small moment of collaboration was a good way to get things going. We can all learn from each other, and from what I’ve seen, every single person can contribute. This week, a simple scriptwriting session reminded me of the old days, in the best way. Here’s hoping that bit of momentum keeps us going.

2. Getting by with a little help from my friends. I am a very sentimental person, and I tell my friends all the time that I love them. I don’t know if they are aware of how much they keep me going. In my own quiet spaces, when I feel most alone, I hear them in my head, telling me to go on. When you’re in your head a lot like I am, that counts for so much. This week was definitely something I leaned a lot on them on, and I’m glad they could be here. If not physically, in spirit.

3. Seeing family. We live 3 hours away from cousins on both sides, and aunts and uncles have a lot on their plate. Being able to hang out in an unexpected manner or timing is a blessing. Sharing a meal, talking about random things. I’ve always wanted to move to my mom’s hometown. Maybe I will. Who knows?

Songs of the week:

SNAP by Rosa Linn

The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson

Gives You Hell by The All American Rejects

With A Little Help from my Friends by Joe Cocker

-J

Gratitude · Jodythinks · Love/Life

What made me happy, as of May 8, 2023

May 8, 2023 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

Staus report: Daily hives and insomnia — I can’t quiet my brain a lot.

What made me happy this past week:

1. Getting to reconnect with a former colleague. My world is apparently quite small in my work life, and my life is mostly work. So when it’s a pleasant interaction that is out of the ordinary, I really enjoy it. I haven’t spoken to this person in five years, and I respect them and can only remember good inreractions with them. I’m grateful to have been able to catch up, even if it was a short one.

2. Rediscovering footage from the past 8 years. This week I found photos from the past 8 years, and it is such a timely reminder of how far I’ve come, and how many things I’ve had to go through. The journey has been littered with broken promises (mostly mine), bruised hearts (still me), and a lot of growth (in the waistline, still me). It has been a quiet adventure, but an adventure still the same.

3. Making new connections. Due to an unexpected twist in circumstances, I made a few new connections at work the past week,m. Also, in an unusual move for me, made plans irl with them. And while I was mostly out of it due to exhaustion, it was a good day. Sometimes you need to stretch, and I took a loooong one that proved quite helpful.

Songs of the week:

Love the Way You Lie by Rihanna and Eminem

(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes

Let’s Go Home Together by Ella Henderson, Tom Grennan

-J

Jodythinks · Love/Life · Thanks

What made me happy lately, May 1, 2023 edition

May 2, 2023May 2, 2023 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

Status update: Insomnia and stress migraines are on the uptick and I haven’t been eating right. It’s a process.

I did have some good moments though:

1. Sharing some good cake with people 11000 miles away. My manager’s birthday needed cake. And because she was in office before the actual day, and it was the last one she had before going OOO, she had to share with the office. Ube cake is classic Filipino, and Goldilocks, one of the most solid chains out there. Birthdays should be celebrations because we’re grateful that this person was born. And hopefully good food is involved. Friends sent photos, and my heart definitely felt a bit more full after a rough day.

2. Daytrips to good places. “Will travel for food” is something we say often, and this Sunday, we drove almost 90 km to have lunch. It was awesome. Not the hangry way I had to park, but the payoff of amazingly simple food. And also being able to ses a friend we haven’t seen in YEARS was a fortuitous plus.

3. Finding new authors. This last week, I started reading Ellen Everett and Whitney Hanson’s poetry. This is also the photo in the post. I admittedly love poetry, but often can’t express it well on my own. The work in the photo is current state, and I am trying to unpack how it gets better. Maybe this time — just acknowledging it will work. For now.

Songs of the week:

I Don’t Know How I Survive by Death Cab for Cutie

All I Ask by Adele

San Francisco by The Mowgli’s

Work Song by Hozier

-J

Gratitude · Jodythinks · Love/Life · Songs to listen to

What made me happy, week of April 24, 2023

May 2, 2023May 2, 2023 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

Status report: It’s been a week of barely controllable hive breakouts and random outbursts. I have been self medicating with a lot of sweets, sugary drinks, and acupuncture like ear piercings.

However in this rollercoaster of a week there are a few bright spots:

1. Getting more ear piercings. I have realized that earrings are the jewelry i really respond to. Even when we had a jewelry phase, i bought mostly earrings and rings. In the span of 2 months, I have added 4 (one did not work out) active piercings to one ear. I can’t recommend it enough if you have no fear of needles and like teeny jewelry. Just don’t touch your fresh piercing after carrying fresh shrimp from your car to your place.

2. Feeling like a girl again. It takes so much professionals to keep me looking halfway put together on a regular basis, and every single thing is in a different, specialized place. Nails get done in a different city. Hair is only at the guy who’s done it for at least the past 6 years. Brows only at this brow place in this one branch. And so on and so forth. And I still look like i rolled out of bed. You can’t even imagine what this looks like without help from people who know better that i pay for their expertise.

3. The people that show up. Bar none. It was an exceptionally tough week. I waved the flag. People showed up. They saved my life. I am thankful.

Songs of the week:

I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie

Under Pressure by Queen

Rescued by The Foo Fighters

Up & Down by The Chainsmokers, 347Aidan

-N

Love/Life

I guess my wounds are open

April 25, 2023 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

And now the pain stings a bit more.

Gratitude · Jodythinks · Love/Life · Thanks

What made me happy, April 17, 2023

April 17, 2023 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

Status report: Increasingly frequent hives situationhas me reaching for the antihistamine more often than i’d like to admit. Thankfully a few natural remedies shared by a friend are working. Insomnia is also being inconvenient, but hey maybe it’s more excitement to wake up than anything?

Happy bits of the week:

1. Surprises. I an a sucker for a good surprise, and I got a few for my birthday. I was dreading the birthday, I really was. A friend offered to make dinner for the group, but was met with silence and/or no’s. I get it, people have lives, and they have their own stuff to deal with, but people get tired too you know? So when another friend organized a dinner, I got surprise flowers, congee and a cookbook, AND had a really fun day that I wasn’t expecting, it really made me grateful. For people who just show up. Even with their own shit in play. Because as mych as I hate to admit it, I do love birthdays. Maybe it’s the middle child thing. Maybe it’s something else. I don’t want to think about that right now. But suffice to say, the people that showed up, if you’re reading this, thank you. You made an anticipatedly shitty day, much less shitty.

2. Laughing way too much at silly things. When I hang out with friends from kindergarten, I have a tendency to behave a lot more towards that age than my current. The short attention span, the lame jokes, the laughing on the side (oh wait, that’s kind of me 24/7). I love hanging out with these girls i’ve known forever, knowing I don’t need to do anything or be anything outside of the person who they saw grow up from 5 years old to present. And we laugh a lot. Like a lot. And that makes me happy.

3. A zero fs friendship. In a world full of people trying to preserve an image, or be overly polite, or just plain uncomfortable, I am grateful to have a friend that is completely no filter. Any question answered. All curiosities explained. It helps me learn a lot — and I’m naturally curious about everything. Especially when people come from a different perspective. I feel like I learn something new on a regular basis. And that makes me feel a bit more engaged in a very isolated environment. And i’ll forever be grateful for the weirdness.

-J

Songs of the week:

Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift

Snap by Rosa Linn

Love Lockdown by Kanye West

Sad Forever by Lauv

Modern Loneliness by Lauv

Jodythinks

37.

April 13, 2023 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

I’ll get there.

Gratitude · Jodythinks · Love/Life · Songs to listen to

Things that made me happy, April 11, 2023

April 11, 2023 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

Status report: Hives still keep happening, and my lower back hurts even with regular massages for Tita’s Hedonist Day Out. I need to figure this out.

What made me happy last week:

1. Family time. I don’t see my extended family a lot, especially since the move. This holy week holiday is one of those times we can see each other, be less worried about our day to day. I love sitting with my cousins, uncles and aunts, simply being around them. I don’t contribute a lot, and it seems like sometimes I’m closed off, but it’s just me being overstimulated sometimes. I wish I could be more present or more conversational, but I’m limited. Even more now that I’m used to being in my own space. One thing i know for sure, their presence makes me feel content, happy. The other things, I will work on so they enjoy my presence as much as I do theirs.

2. Puppy time. There are two litters of puppies we got to hang out with this weekend. Six shih tzus, and two belgian malinois ones. I missed puppies since we haven’t had puppies in years, and these ones are pretty dang cute. They’re all spoken for, and are going to good, caring homes. I’m glad I got to meet them and got some puppy kisses.

3. A friend going through the same journey. My health issues as of the late aren’t a secret. High blood pressure on top of my previously identified issues is the cherry on top of an already difficult health status is a hell of a thing to go through. I’ve been quite lucky to have family that’s extra supportive. Driving me to appointments, checking in. I can’t ask for anything more really. However I do have a friend that has been incredibly supportive, and is going through it as well. It has made all the work I have to do much less burdensome.

Songs of the week:

Tokyo Drift by the Teriyaki Boyz

Talking to Myself by Lauv

Work Song by Hozier

-J

Gratitude · Jodythinks · Love/Life

Things that made me happy, April 3, 2023

April 3, 2023 Jody AlarvaLeave a comment

Status report: I seem to have managed blood pressure through medication, a better sleep schedule, and forcing myself to eat better. Allergies are still bad, and I have had more than normal evenings with insomnia. It’s like my body is gearing up for bad news. Let’s hope it’s wrong.

There are a few happy things I am deeply grateful for though this past week

1. Simple afternoon snackies. With my schedule being a lot more manageable, I am able to actually have some normalcy with the rest of my people and enjoy late afternoon snackies. Sure there are a lot more options fot temptation, but it’s also much more cost effective and homemade, versus fastfood takeout.

2. Calm down phone calls. Working from home can be a stressful vacuum. There needs to be a concerted effort to really take what people are going through seriously, but also not let it completely bog you down. Check on your friends, and also be there for each other. We’re all going through something. I have been on calls this past week that have been comforting on both ends, and I am grateful to have friends that take the time to do so.

3. Tita’s hedonist days out. Good food, some type of shopping, and massages are what my sister, and my friend Anne do as hedonists. Yes we’re exciting as hell. Yes we move slowly like molasses. Yes we usually end up covered in massage oil and eating copious amounts of carbs and fat. This is our reward for the daily grind. And I’m glad to have established this tradition.

4. Consistency. I think the most difficult thing in life is consistency. Anyone can do bursts of effort. Anything new and exciting is easy to show up for. In a different vein, when things are bad, you do the work because you’re in dire straits. Consistency is hard as hell. Showing up for yourself regularly takes discipline. Showing up for others, takes a whole lot of heart. I appreciate my loved ones who are consistent, because I know how fucking hard it is to even get up in the morning sometimes. To cheer someone else on takes strength. I guess what I’m trying to say is thank you to the people that do for me.

Songs of the week:

One Day I’ll Fly Away by Randy Crawford

Lonely by Imagine Dragons

Dirty Little Secret By All American Rejects