Recent Loves in August

 

It's a holiday today in Manila as I write this, and to be honest I'm quite proud of having written today because I've just been lying in bed this whole morning. Well, except I was up and about when I went out for a walk in the morning and ate breakfast.. then I went back on my bed to read and nap. 

I'm on my work desk now though and listening to a jazz playlist, which is nice. Earlier today while scrolling through my phone, I may have seen 2-3 tweets about people's sentiments on having roughly 4 months left in 2021 before 2022 rolls in, and how we've been at a standstill for almost 2 years. Time was wasted, they seemed to say. 

I really wonder about that. Was time really wasted? But then I also think, how it's such an amazing feat to be able to adapt and maybe even struggle to find meaning in all the things we've been going through. In times like these, I hope we can give ourselves a huge pat on the back because we all truly deserve it (and more). And even if 2021 felt like it just passed by, I hope we get time to step back and acknowledge that even if it was not an easy year, we're still trying our best even when the situation is less than ideal.

Moving on now, I'd like to share with you a bit of the small but certain happiness, the moments I've cherished in the month of August:

Quarantine Bangs

I cut my hair last July, and I have to admit that my bangs were too short. Did I do it on purpose? Maybe.. but you see, I was never really successful with having bangs before. I was bored and I wanted a change so why not try it out now while in lockdown? 

It took a long time for it to grow into the length I wanted, but it finally did now in August and I'm embracing it!!

Among Us

I've been playing the Among Us mobile game way too much this month. There was a time wherein my work colleagues and I hopped on a Zoom call just so we could play together, and it gave me the same feelings as if I went out on such a fun night out. It's fun to play it with both friends and strangers. Seeing the strangers argue amongst themselves is also a funny experience. I guess the beauty of the game is being able to stay anonymous and you can just freely make assumptions on who the impostor could be, with no hard feelings. 

Online Shopping

Your girl shopped online for clothes! I thrifted dresses from @sewstain.co on Instagram, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that one of the dresses had pockets! The seller did not share about this when she put it up on her feed... so it put me into a really good mood for the entire week. 

I now wear my dresses even when I'm home. I need to wear my clothes so I can also have the opportunity to wash them. 

Also! I bought Uniqlo t-shirts, the one with the collaboration with Haruki Murakami. I bought two of them in medium, and have been wearing them every week. : - ) Medium is big on me, but I quite like the lazy and comfy look it gives. 

Shows and Films I Loved:

Odd Taxi (2021)

This anime blew me away. I wasn't expecting anything deep out of the storyline, considering how cute the illustration was, but everything connected so well in the end! I've had to watch the last episode twice just for the whole thing to sink in. I'd say this one is a brilliant slice of life / mystery anime no one knew they needed to watch. 

If Cats Disappeared From The World (2016)

I recently read the novel of this film, though I also do remember watching this before when it came out. I decided to watch this with Sher, and man did we end up crying! I seemed to have forgotten how beautiful this film truly was. And now that I've read the book, I can see the twists and changes here and there but it essentially stayed the same in most parts. I enjoyed both the novel and the film; I think they can both stand alone. 

What was highlighted more in the film would be.. if you were to be robbed of the pleasures of life, such as having a phone you to connect with others or enjoying a film or appreciating the warmth of a beloved cat whose presence reminds you of someone you once loved dearly, what's the point of living? 

I remember one of the lines of the protagonist, when he asked himself:

How many more books can I read? How many more films can I watch? : - (

Eternal Zero (2013)

A work colleague recommended this film to me. The storyline is much like any other war film out there, which showed the sad realities of war and how the people did their best to stay alive. I did gain some insight on Kamikaze fighter pilots though.. *cue tears* 

Heneral Luna (2015)

Right after watching Eternal Zero, I felt like recounting what happened with my own history. So I tried to search for Filipino war films, and I remembered Heneral Luna. I remember watching this film with my friends in the cinema. I thought that it was great to finally be proud of a Filipino film that did not involve love affairs, mistresses, cheating, etc etc.... 

Even though this film centered mostly on the life of a General, it still highlighted the country's history and most of the issues that still plague the nation even until today (sadly). I loved the cinematography, and the humor was also on point. 

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That is all for my August. How was your August, and what are you looking forward to in September?

I have not been going out much at all due to the rising number of covid cases in the area... but I did manage to go on morning walks for 3 days in a row. Just because I needed it so much, and I haven't walked the entire month! My room is my universe it seems. But hey, I was delighted to see the prettiest cluster of red Santan flowers as you could see from this entry's first photo. : - ) This could be the first time I've seen them in such a lovely clustered bunch and I thought I'd share with you. 

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