Life Lately: February 2025 – Road Trips, Old & New Folks, and the Same Hobbies

Shush! I know, I’ve been MIA again for the nth time after saying I’d update the blog regularly. Not that I know anyone really reads this, but I just love documenting my travels and adventures and putting them into writing. I still have a few pending stories I want to share from the last few months, so I’m crossing my fingers I’ll catch up soon. I won’t make any promises for now, especially since things have been chaotic (in a good way) since the start of the year.

Long story short, if I’m not here, I’m probably out and about conquering the world (well, the Philippines for now, or more specifically, the mountains of Cebu) or just being a couch potato, catching up on much-needed rest before the next adventure.

Anyway, let's back track a little from the second month of the year. February may be the shortest month of the year, but it was no exception to the months filed with adventures. That being said, one of the many reasons it took me a while to publish this post is I had way too many photos and videos to sort through. And I kid you not, I tried my best to keep this post short, but I guess life has just been pretty awesome lately, and I never seem to run out of things to do.

Without further ado, here’s what life has been like lately...

On the first weekend of the month, Erika and I went on a spontaneous out-of-town trip to Simala for the second time. Unlike our previous visit, this time we came to give thanks to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Papa Jesus for granting our prayers. We first visited in November last year and promised to return soon, regardless of whether our prayers were answered. However, we never expected our prayers to be granted so quickly, and I’m truly grateful for it. I guess it wasn’t just our prayers that were granted, because when we visited, there were so many people that the queue to enter the church was incredibly long.

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After our visit to the Berhin sa Simala, we were supposed to head back to the city. However, we got so hungry, despite the snacks we brought with us, that we had no choice but to look for a nearby restaurant. Unfortunately, the restaurants around Simala were packed with devotees offering their prayers. So, Erika and I decided to head down to Sibonga proper to find a good place to eat. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise as we discovered an elegant ancestral house that serves mouthwatering dishes.

Our visit to Balay Ortiz, or Heritage Cafe, was brief but definitely one of my favorite parts of the trip. If you’re curious about our visit to this restaurant and museum, feel free to read all about it here.

With a bit of extra time after our brunch at Heritage Cafe, we decided to visit the Our Lady of Pillar Church, which was just a few blocks away. I'm so glad we did because it was a surreal experience to see the magnificent painted ceiling of this old church—something you don’t often find in modern churches. It was just a quick stop, but I'm happy we had the chance to explore a bit of Sibonga's rich heritage. and culture.

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The weekend ended, and of course, it was back to reality. I probably spent most of my days asleep and my nights turned into day. During the weekdays, not much was going on aside from work. But I find joy in spending time with my closest colleagues, whether it’s during breaks, lunch, or even making friends with the street cats and dogs around IT Park. At home after my shift, I’ve also been trying to romanticize the everyday chores like cooking, grocery runs, and more, just to clear my mind and avoid burnout.

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The second weekend of the month came, and I decided to head back to my hometown since I hadn’t been able to visit since returning to the city last year. The timing was perfect, too, as my cousin and roommate had invited us to her thanksgiving celebration after passing the licensure exam. I’m so glad I went, as it gave me the chance to reconnect with some old friends and family members I hadn’t seen in a long time.

On that same weekend, if you’ve read my previous post, I wasn’t the only one who went home to my hometown. I actually brought along my roommates, Erika and Lourence, as they were also invited to Shayna's party. We were supposed to head back to the city the next day, but as usual, we ended up on another spontaneous road trip. This time, we drove to the neighboring municipality of Aloguinsan to explore its shore and experience our first pag-panginhas with my other cousins. I also shared about it here on the blog, so if you're interested in reading more, just click here.

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Then came the day everyone, especially couples, had been looking forward to—February 14. Although I didn’t have a significant other to spend it with, I’m beyond grateful for the amazing soul sisters, friends, and colleagues I have. After my shift, looking a little haggard, I went on a grocery and breakfast date with Erika and Lourence, who, by the way, always manage to look fresh and gorgeous.

I’m so grateful for these two, who are always just one call away, no matter how spontaneous or a little crazy I get. We even have an inside joke: Erika is my morning partner in crime since we mostly spend time together during the day, while Lourence is my night partner in crime. She’s a night owl, and we spend more time together at night, even when I’m at work.

Speaking of spending time with friends on Valentine’s Day, my colleagues and I planned a mini picnic date during our lunch break. We pre-ordered some pizza with the help of our team leader since we’re not allowed to bring our phones into production. I was also really glad I brought my trusty picnic mat, which I bought from TikTok. It turned out to be the perfect addition to our lunch date, and we enjoyed the rest of the time with good food and great stories.

Just when I thought the day had come to an end (well, technically the day had just begun, but I work night shifts, so you know what I mean), Lee invited me to join her and Cheremie for breakfast. I'm so glad I went—it was a nice change from my usual routine. Plus, I finally got to dine at The Baraks for the first time! We had their infamous Tuslob Buwa since Lee had been craving it. I’m not really used to dishes like that, but I’m always up for trying new food with friends.

And although I didn’t receive any flowers, I was absolutely delighted when I saw my roommate with a bouquet of sunflowers that he was gifting to his mom. I’ve always had a soft spot for sunflowers and just seeing them made my heart flutter.

Sunday arrived, which meant another adventure. And now you probably understand why I can never stick to a fixed schedule when it comes to writing here or doing my laundry. Hahaha.

After our Starbuk hike back in January, my colleagues had been ahem pestering me (I mean, asking me) when our next hike would be. Since they’ve so graciously given me the title of "organizer," I figured I’d suggest Amordino since it’s one of the trails I’ve already tried. But my colleagues, being way braver than me, suggested the Spartan trail instead. I was pretty hesitant at first, knowing it's one of the longest trails in the city, but since we were all newbies to it, I found some confidence and courage that we'd be able to finish it... and we did!

I won’t go into too much detail just yet because I plan to write a separate post about it once I sort through the hundreds of photos and videos from all my travels. No promises on when that’ll happen, though, because as you know, I might be off on another adventure before I get around to it.

On Sundays, no matter how tiring my adventures are, I make it a point to attend mass—it’s become a part of my weekend routine with Erika and Lourence. After our thrilling Spartan hike, I honestly didn’t think I’d have any energy left for the rest of the day. But Erika and I decided to head to Casa Gorrodo for a bite to eat and some drinks while we killed time before the next mass, since we were super late for the one we originally planned to attend.

We attended the afternoon mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral, and on our way home, we found a thrift shop that almost drained our wallets because their clothes were just perfect for our outfits. We thought our day was over, but then Erika and Marlie decided to go for a jog at Cebu Business Park since Erika couldn’t join us on our Spartan hike. Since I still had some energy left, I tagged along, though I ended up just watching over their stuff to avoid overdoing it. Can you imagine? I did all that in one day and was still full of energy when I got home!

On the last weekend of the month, I finally got to attend two events I had been looking forward to—the final screenings of the Japanese Film Festival and the much-awaited anime convention in Cebu, Otaku Fest. I haven’t talked much about it here lately, but if you’ve been following my older blogs, you’d know that anime and all things Japanese used to be a huge part of my life (and honestly, still are).

Hitting two birds with one stone, I went to both events! Right after my shift and without any rest, I headed straight to SM Seaside Cebu to catch the showing of Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle. After the movie, I dropped by the Tower Garden to check out Otaku Fest. I had so much fun browsing the different booths—especially the artist alley, where I got to meet one of my fave local artists, Bastinuod, and even got drawn by my recent favorite Manila-based artist, LoserMangaka.

Even though I was exhausted, your tita wasn’t ready to go home just yet! I went back to the cinema to catch more Japanese films, and I’m so glad I did—I ended up discovering some new favorite songs and artists.

Honestly, it felt so healing to finally attend conventions again after what felt like forever. I haven’t finished sorting through all my files yet, so I might share more about it... or maybe not. I’ll try, but no promises—let’s see how it goes! Hahaha.

On the last Sunday of the month, we unfortunately had to cancel our much-awaited camping trip with the roommates. It had been raining for days back in our hometown, and of course, safety comes first. With the sudden change of plans, we originally thought we’d just attend mass and spend the rest of the day lounging around at home. But as always, we somehow found a way to turn what could’ve been a dull day into another memorable one.

When I told my roommates that I attended an anime convention and watched a Japanese movie on the big screen for free the day before, they got curious. And as someone who loves sharing my interests with people who are open-minded to my hobbies, I was more than happy to introduce them to my little world. That’s how we ended up going to SM Seaside right after attending mass.

We were a bit late for the movie we originally planned to watch since the mass took longer than expected, but sometimes those delays turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Arriving late gave us a chance to explore the mall and discover new things we ended up loving.

One of the highlights was this game called Cube, which the youngsters were super excited to try—and as the ate of the group, they dragged me along to join. They said it was fun, but they forgot to mention it was also a full-on cardio workout! 😂 The rules were simple: step only on the tiles, avoid the red ones, or you lose a life. It definitely got my heart racing and had me sweating, but it was such a fun surprise!

And back to our main agenda of the day—we rushed back to the cinema to catch the next movie. As someone who easily cries watching tearjerking movies, I was bawling my eyes out. There’s really something about Japanese films that make you fall in love with the story while also quietly breaking your heart.

Before heading home and officially closing the last weekend of the month, we strolled around a bit more, making the most of the remaining hours. Spending time with these youngsters reminded me of so many things and helped me see life from a fresh perspective. It was such a simple day, but one that really stuck with me.

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Before I wrap up this post, I want to share a few of my favorite snaps from my weekend outfits. I honestly love being able to dress up the way I want without worrying about being judged. It’s such a fun way to express myself. Do you think I should post more OOTDs here on the blog?

Also, can we talk about this super cute caricature that LoserMangaka made for me? Totally obsessed!

Oh wow, you made it 'til the end—thank you for sticking around! That pretty much sums up my February: fast, fun, and full of little moments that made it truly special. From spontaneous trips to quiet times with friends, every memory felt like a page worth keeping. Life might be a bit chaotic (in the best way), but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Until the next post or adventure, keep chasing what makes you feel alive, stay curious, and as always, keep living your beautiful story. 💛