Working on the blog for this week.

Reflecting on the year 2025.

This month’s reminds me that the heaviest burdens are often carried in our minds, not on our backs. Joyce joined her year-end school trip solo, without a chaperone, which gave her a chance to grow in independence and confidence. The trip to Tagaytay Paradizoo and JCastles offered both learning and fun, with farm animals, gardens, and playful activities.

Property tax season arrived, but both Pasig and Parañaque kept rates unchanged, a welcome relief for the budget. Christmas shopping was busy as usual, with spending on gifts, clothes, shoes, and car accessories pushing the balance sheet negative. To avoid heavy traffic, big malls were skipped in favor of smaller ones, with most dining done around SM malls and Shopwise. Church services added a spiritual touch to the season, while an attempted visit to the Christmas park in Taguig failed due to traffic and parking issues. Instead, Vista Mall became the fallback destination, still offering a festive atmosphere.

Pre-Christmas celebrations were held in Santolan, where Kat also checked on renovations. On December 25, the main celebration took place with Kat’s family, filled with food, laughter, and gift exchanges. The mix of early and family-centered celebrations made the holiday season warm, balanced, and memorable.

This Month's Quote

The heaviest burden is what we carry in our minds, and not on our backs...

Joyce Field Trip

End year field trip for Joyce...

oyce is going solo on her school trip this year. At first, she wanted to have a chaperone, but after weighing the costs and the hassle, we decided not to join or ask anyone else to accompany her. It felt more practical to let her experience the trip independently, and honestly, it’s a good chance for her to build confidence. The school organized a visit to Tagaytay Paradizoo and JCastles, which made for a fun and educational outing. Paradizoo gave the students a chance to see farm animals, gardens, and nature up close, while JCastles added a playful and adventurous vibe to the day. Joyce was excited about the mix of learning and leisure, and we’re glad she got to enjoy it with her classmates. It’s a big step for her, going without us this time, but we see it as part of her growth. Trips like these aren’t just about sightseeing—they’re about independence, responsibility, and making memories with friends.

Paranaque land taxes

Local taxeses...

It’s that time of the year again—property tax season. Luckily, both Pasig and Parañaque kept things steady this year with no increases or changes in rates. That’s a relief, since any adjustment would’ve meant reshuffling the budget. At least for now, it’s just the usual routine payment without extra surprises.

Christmas shopping

Time of spending and negative in the balance sheet...

Christmas shopping season always feels like a time of spending—and yes, the balance sheet definitely goes negative. We picked up gifts, new clothes, new shoes, car accessories, and a bunch of other little things. To avoid the crazy traffic, we skipped the big malls and stuck to smaller ones instead. Most of our outside dining happened around SM malls and near Shopwise, which made the trips feel more relaxed compared to the usual holiday rush. We also attended Christmas church services, which added that festive and spiritual touch to the season. At one point, we tried to visit the Christmas park in Taguig, but traffic and the lack of parking space made it impossible. In the end, we just headed to Vista Mall instead—less hassle, and at least we still got to enjoy the holiday vibe.

Christmas celebrations

Family celebrations...

We had a little pre-Christmas celebration in Santolan a few days before the 25th. It was nice to soak in the holiday vibe early, and Kat also took the chance to check out the renovations during that time. On Christmas Day itself, we spent it with Kat’s family. The atmosphere was warm and festive—food, laughter, and the usual exchange of gifts. It felt good to balance the early celebration in Santolan with the big day spent together with family.

November monthly blog. This month I visited Santolan for All Souls’ Day and checked the final renovation progress. The work looked fine overall, though some details weren’t ideal. I also went to the cemetery earlier than the actual day, and it was peaceful with fewer visitors.

We delayed buying a car until after the Santolan renovation to ensure funds were secure. Once completed, we purchased a Toyota Raize at Toyota Bicutan. We chose it for fuel efficiency, compact size, and good ground clearance compared to a Vios. It was also cheaper than other crossovers like the Yaris or Corolla Cross. We opted for a new car instead of used, remembering the costly repairs of our old ’97 Toyota Corona. The Raize feels like a fresh start, promising convenience and fewer headaches.

This year marked my 42nd birthday, and I reflected on milestones and goals. I aim to lose weight down to 70kg, move to Santolan, and install solar panels. Turning 42 feels surreal but motivating, as I now count projects and victories instead of just years.

My Apple Watch Series 6 broke after three years of daily use, while my Series 3 lasted longer. I opened the watch for the first time, guided by YouTube tutorials. Though I considered replacing the battery, the cost was nearly equal to buying a new Android watch. Instead, I fixed the dislocated battery myself, a small DIY success that keeps it running for now.

We also collected ayuda for persons with disabilities at Parañaque City Hall for our son Jace, who has Down syndrome. The process was faster than expected, finishing in less than 1.5 hours. The queue in our barangay was messy but manageable, though improvements could cut waiting time to 15 minutes. Compared to underperforming barangays, Parañaque and Barangay Isidro did fairly well. Still, Santolan, Pasig, has smoother systems and stricter staff, making the process less draining. Overall, the experience was good enough, and finishing without losing the whole day felt like a win.

This Month's Quote

Put your first order where you would put a stop loss...

All souls day

I did a quick visit to Santolan for All Souls’ Day and also checked out the final progress of the renovations there. Overall, the renovations look fine—though there are a few details I wasn’t too happy about. Still, it’s done, so I’ll just make the most out of it.

I also dropped by the cemetery a bit earlier, before All Souls’ itself, and it was surprisingly quiet. Not too many people were visiting yet, which made it feel more peaceful. By the actual day, I’m sure it got busier, but that early visit gave me a chance to reflect without the usual crowd

Toyota Raize

Our second car...

We originally planned to buy a car right after I got back to the Philippines earlier this year. But I decided to hold off until the Santolan renovation was finished, just to make sure we had enough funds to cover any unexpected risks. Thankfully, the renovation costs stayed within budget—even though it was a bit delayed—so we were able to move forward with the car purchase. We ended up buying our car at Toyota Bicutan, and settled on the Raize. The main reasons? Fuel efficiency, compact size, and that nice ground clearance compared to a Vios. Plus, it’s way more affordable than other crossovers like the Yaris or Corolla Cross. We also debated whether to go for a used car or a brand-new one. In the end, we chose new because of our not-so-great experience with our first car, a ’97 Toyota Corona we bought back in 2006. That thing was a money pit with all the repairs it needed. Lesson learned. So here we are—new car, fresh start. Hopefully, this Raize gives us the convenience and flexibility we’ve been looking for. Honestly, just the thought of smoother trips and fewer headaches already feels like a big win.

Birthday

Forties...

Ok, so it’s my 42nd birthday—I’m officially crawling deeper into the forties now. A lot has happened this past year, and I’ll be sharing more in my soon-to-write 2025 year-ender. But looking ahead, I’ve got a few personal targets lined up for this year too: Get back in shape and drop down to 70kg (time to fight the dad bod!), Finally make the move to Santolan and settle in there. Push through with the solar panel installation project—because saving on bills and going green feels like a win-win. It’s funny, hitting 42 feels both surreal and motivating. I’m not just counting years anymore; I’m counting milestones, projects, and little victories. Here’s to making this year lighter, brighter, and more sustainable.

Fixtures Apple Watch

Opening an Apple watch...

After about three years of daily use, my Apple Watch Series 6 finally gave up on me. Funny thing is, my old Apple Watch Series 3 actually lasted longer than the 6, which I didn’t expect. This was my first time opening up the watch, and of course I just relied on YouTube tutorials to figure things out.

Luckily, I already had the tools since I like tinkering here and there with gadgets. I originally wanted to replace the battery, but when I checked the price—wow, it was almost the same as buying a brand-new Android watch. Not worth it at all.

So instead, I did a minor fix myself. The battery had gotten dislocated, and I managed to put it back in place. Not a perfect solution, but at least the watch is running again for now. Honestly, it feels good to pull off a DIY repair, even if it’s just a temporary fix.

Government Ayuda for the Disabled

Paranaque ayuda for people with disability...

We just picked up the ayuda for persons with disabilities at Parañaque City Hall. Our son Jace has Down syndrome, so we lined up for him. Honestly, I was expecting it to take forever, but surprisingly the whole process was done in less than 1.5 hours—which, by Philippine standards, is already considered fast. The staff were accommodating, though the queue itself was a bit messy in our barangay. People were cutting in line here and there, but it was still manageable if you kept your patience.

If they streamlined the process, I feel like it could easily be done in 15 minutes—imagine the hassle saved! Still, compared to other barangays that really underperform, Parañaque and Barangay Isidro did a decent job. For comparison, we used to stay in Barangay Santolan, Pasig, and I have to say their system is way smoother. The lines are more organized, the staff are stricter about order, and you don’t feel drained after the process. Parañaque could definitely learn a thing or two from Pasig’s management style. Overall, I’d say it wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough. At least we got the ayuda without spending the whole day there. And hey, any government process that doesn’t eat up your entire morning already feels like a small victory here.

October was a demanding month for our family as a recurring household-wide flu, later confirmed as part of a 22% spike in Influenza A cases in Metro Manila, halted our productivity. The cycling symptoms made recovery slow and exhausting, forcing me to place all pending projects on hold to prioritize rest and family care. Despite the physical toll, we found moments of connection through a simple anniversary dinner and explored various dramas, though only the lighthearted King the Land and the well-paced time-loop series Reset managed to keep our interest.

On the financial front, I successfully navigated a historic cryptocurrency crash on October 10 that saw $19 billion in liquidations. Because I avoided leverage and had pre-set stop-losses, my accounts remained unaffected while over 1.6 million traders worldwide faced devastating losses. This period of market volatility prompted a broader audit of my personal finances, leading me to cancel underutilized subscriptions like FlipaClip and Construct 3 to better optimize our monthly overhead.

Looking toward the future, we have begun the practical steps of upgrading our lifestyle and securing family benefits. I successfully registered Jace for the Parañaque HELP card to maximize available government incentives. Furthermore, we have officially started the car-buying process, visiting Toyota Bicutan to inspect the Toyota Raize. We are currently focused on the mid-tier variant, valued at approximately ₱900,000, as we move closer to finalizing a purchase.

This Month's Quote

The blockchain does one thing: It replaces third-party trust with mathematical proof.
- Adam Draper

Entire Family had Flu

Flu season...

October was a challenging month for our family here in the Philippines. We were hit hard by a recurring flu that swept through our household, part of a small-scale outbreak of Influenza A confirmed by PSMID. The symptoms cycled through each of us, making recovery slow and exhausting. It was a month marked by low productivity, constant worry, and the need to prioritize rest and care. Flu cases in Metro Manila rise by 22% in October; 98% are Influenza A—PSMID. Due to the flu most of my pending projects were in a hold. There were no project improvements these month.

Crypto Liquidation Incident Oct 2025

Crash in five minutes...

In October 2025, the cryptocurrency market experienced its most devastating liquidation event in history. On October 10, cascading sell-offs erased over **$19 billion in leveraged positions**, wiping out more than **1.6 million traders worldwide** and sending Bitcoin, Ethereum, and altcoins into steep declines. Personally my stoploss triggered earlier than the crash itself and I am not performing leverage thus no impact on my accounts. Bloomberg - Cryptocurrencies Slump as October Liquidations Repel Buyers.

Kdrama Series

Series on October...

"King the Land", "Genie, Make a Wish" and "Typhoon Family" out of the 3 shows we only completed "King the Land" we just started the few episodes and found it boring as of the time being. King the Land is light hearted a typical story of a average girl falling in love with a rich guy.

Started "Physical Asia"

Watch a few episode of this due to Philippine being in the epsiode and Manny Pacquio. Eventually dropped watching it after a few epsiode due to lack of performance from the Philippine team and also the production is kinda boring.

Cdrama Series

Series on October...

Watch two chinese drama. "Reset" is a time loop series with relatively good pacing. Joyce is quite interested in action parallel world, time loop stories. The "Legend of the Female General" is just a typical three kingdoms love story.

Help Card

Paranaque HELP card for person with disabilities...

Maximizing government incentives. Registered Jace for the Paranaque Help card.

Anniversary

Had simple celebration and cakes...

Had a simple anniversary dinner celebration.

The celebration is just pair with the usual weekend dine outs.

Unsubscribed to Flipaclip and Construct 3

Under utilized subscriptions...

Checking under untilized services. I have decided to termination Flipaclicp and Construct 3 temporarily.

Plans to buy a Car

Car planning and browsing..

I have dropped by Toyota Bicutan to check a compact suv Toyota Raize. We are planning to get the middle tier which cost roughly around 900k.

The Philippines is known for having the longest Christmas season in the world, with the festive spirit kicking off as early as September. As soon as the “ber” months begin, malls start decorating with Christmas lights and trees, and familiar holiday tunes begin playing—ushering in four months of joyful anticipation and cultural warmth.

Kat recently celebrated her milestone 40th birthday with a blend of simplicity and intimacy. The day included a Japanese lunch, a shopping trip to Uniqlo, and a cozy family gathering at home. After 25 years together and 12 years of marriage, the celebration reflected deep love, shared growth, and excitement for the future.

Joyce participated in a district-level inter-school chess competition, finishing 4th out of over 40 female players and earning a bronze medal. She had a 3–2 win-loss record, and a win in her final match could have secured silver and a spot in the nationals. Her school, St. Cyr Academy, won overall gold by points against 20 schools.

Interestingly, a physical exam was required for the chess tournament—a surprising but understandable precaution given the scale of the event. With students traveling and competing for long hours, organizers likely wanted to ensure everyone’s health and safety, even in a mentally focused sport like chess. Joyce also celebrated Araw ng Wika at school, proudly wearing a Filipiniana outfit that honored Filipino heritage. The event featured performances and activities that celebrated the richness of the Filipino language and culture, allowing students to connect with their roots in a meaningful way.

On the entertainment front, two K-dramas made it to the watchlist: Bon Appétit, Your Majesty and Unlock My Boss. The former was a new release with a whimsical mix of food, royalty, and romance, while the latter was a quirky tech-mystery series picked up while waiting for other episodes. Both added variety and charm to the viewing experience.

Meanwhile, internet connectivity has been spotty in the area, with GLOBE/GOMO fiber experiencing intermittent issues. The recent heat and rain may have affected the infrastructure, causing slowdowns and dropouts. Users are hoping for swift diagnostics and repairs to restore stable service. These moments—whether festive, personal, competitive, cultural, or everyday—paint a vivid picture of life’s rhythm: celebrations, challenges, and small joys that make each season memorable.

This Month's Quote

Markets are driven by fear and greed - know which one’s in control.

Ber-months Christmas is Near

Longest Christmas...

The Philippines really does have one of the longest Christmas seasons in the world. It’s only the start of the “ber” months, and I can already feel the holiday spirit. Some SM malls have Christmas trees and lights up, and even a few Christmas songs are starting to play in the background. It’s funny but also heartwarming—four months of anticipation, decorations, and little reminders that Christmas here isn’t just a day, it’s a whole season of joy and togetherness. It’s Christmas in the Philippines, and yes, we know—it’s only September..

Katrina's Birthday just turn 40s

Mid-life literally...

Kat just entered her fabulous 40s, and we marked the occasion with a mix of simple joys and heartfelt moments. We kicked off the celebration with a cozy Japanese lunch—her favorite—followed by a relaxed shopping spree at Uniqlo where she picked out a few stylish pieces. Later in the day, we gathered with her family at the apartment, sharing laughter, stories, and a thoughtfully prepared food set that made the evening feel extra special. It wasn’t extravagant, but it was intimate, meaningful, and very us.

It’s incredible to think that I’ve known Kat for 25 years now. We’ve been married for about 12 of those years, and the journey we’ve shared has been nothing short of transformative. A lot can happen in a decade—career shifts, family milestones, quiet victories, and the kind of growth that only time and love can bring. Through it all, we’ve built a life rooted in trust, humor, and shared dreams.

As we look ahead to our fifties, sixties, and beyond, there’s a quiet excitement in knowing that the best chapters may still be unwritten. We’re embracing the future with gratitude, curiosity, and a deep commitment to each other. Here's to growing older together—with grace, adventure, and love that keeps evolving.

Medical Exam for the Competition

Medical for chess competition...

It’s quite amusing that a physical exam is required for a chess competition—after all, it’s not exactly a physically demanding sport. But considering this is a district-level inter-school event, I understand why the organizers would implement standard precautions. These requirements likely ensure that all participants are in good health, especially since the event involves travel, long hours of concentration, and interaction among students from different schools. It’s part of a broader effort to maintain safety and accountability, even in activities that are primarily mental rather than physical.

Chess Competion for Primary Students in Private School

Chess for kids...

Joyce earned a well-deserved bronze medal, placing 4th out of more than 40 female chess players who competed in the district-level inter-private school tournament. Her performance was impressive, especially considering the level of competition and the pressure of representing her school. She finished with a 3-win, 2-loss record—just one win shy of securing the silver medal. Her final match was a nail-biter, and had she clinched that last victory, she would have moved up to second place, qualifying for the city-level competition. Still, her achievement speaks volumes about her skill, focus, and determination. St. Cyr Academy, the school she represented, also had a stellar showing, winning the overall gold by points against 20 participating schools. Their collective effort and strategic play across all boards made them the top-performing school in the tournament.

Araw ng Wika and Filipiniana

Celebrating a heritage...

Joyce recently celebrated Araw ng Wika with pride and elegance, joining her school’s festivities in full cultural spirit. She wore a beautiful Filipiniana ensemble, perfectly capturing the essence of traditional Filipino heritage. Her outfit reflected the rich history and artistry of our culture—graceful, dignified, and vibrant.

The event itself was a meaningful tribute to the Filipino language and identity, filled with performances, speeches, and activities that honored our roots. Joyce’s participation wasn’t just about dressing up—it was a celebration of national pride and a chance to connect with the values and traditions that shape who we are.

Kdrama Bon Appetite Your Majesty and Unlock My Boss

Monthly drama series...

We recently wrapped up two K-dramas: Bon Appétit, Your Majesty and Unlock My Boss. Both offered something unique and kept us entertained in different ways. Bon Appétit, Your Majesty was a fresh release, and we dove into it right away. It had a charming blend of romance, food, and royal flair—lighthearted but surprisingly heartfelt. The culinary scenes were a treat, and the storyline had just enough whimsy to keep us hooked. Unlock My Boss, on the other hand, was a spontaneous pick while waiting for new episodes of other shows. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The mix of tech, mystery, and humor made for an intriguing watch, and the concept of a CEO trapped inside a smartphone was both quirky and thought-provoking. It’s always fun discovering new series and seeing how different genres play out. These two definitely added variety to our watchlist.

GOMO Fiber Intermittent Internet Connection Issues

Terrible telco service

The GLOBE/GOMO fiber connection in our area has been quite unstable lately. We've been experiencing intermittent slowdowns and occasional dropouts, which have made online tasks more frustrating than usual. It’s possible that the recent bouts of intense heat and heavy rain have affected the outdoor fiber infrastructure—moisture intrusion, thermal expansion, or even minor physical damage to exposed lines could be contributing to the issue. Given that fiber optics are sensitive to environmental conditions, especially in tropical climates like ours, it wouldn’t be surprising if the weather played a role. Hopefully, the service providers are already working on diagnostics and repairs to restore consistent connectivity soon.