The Memoirs of Monica

I was going through my computer when I saw this note I made after my family’s trip to Baguio City. It reads, in part... “This was the first time in months that we went out as a family for a road trip . We usually schedule travels every year but that was before we became corporate and government slaves. HAHA. So, kids, financial independence is a MUST. 

I digress. As your time for family gets shorter for career development, moments like this become even more special. Growing up, my family was there with me and for me 24/7. I was really close with them. I never realized how lucky I was to have had such a loving household until I started celebrating birthdays with just a friend or two, being sick without my mom or dad nursing me back to health, spending dinners without a family member in sight, etc...I don’t know where this post is going. I just want to express that even though I spend most of my waking moments away from them, it’s only the physical space that’s distant. The heart never was and never will be. 

I may have found eternal happiness in Miggy HAHA but my first and dearest love is still my family.”

Sharing here my cool finds from a thrift shop in Cebu, City 💓 Bought everything but the one on the lower right for Php440 pesos 💸 A clear victory for me, yes?

Aside from going home with 3 items for a sweet price, another thing that struck me was the number of stylish and quality items sold in this shop. Too bad I wasn't donned in comfortable clothes- that would’ve made me stay longer 😩 Still, despite my short stop, I managed to get a good idea of how practical and fun thrift shopping was.

While it's good that people are flooding social media with posts about the Amazon going up in flames, information dissemination just won’t cut it. A few clicks here and there won’t miraculously reverse the damage the rainforest has endured nor will it magically create a paradigm shift in the way the world is being governed.

The problem with today’s generation is that we tend to excuse ourselves from committing to a cause once we’ve expressed dismay or indignation on our chosen online platform. As if reposting photos of dead animals in the Amazon will tug at the heartstrings of businessmen burning the forest to the ground for money.

Don’t get me wrong. Empathy is good. But empathy should ALWAYS end with action. After all, it isn't what we say that defines us, but what we do.

I can’t help but think of the line from the book, ‘The Transformed Mind,’ that really changed my view about sympathy. It says “ True compassion is not only about sympathy or a feeling of closeness, but a sense of responsibility as well.”

RESPONSIBILITY. This is the key. It is high time that we stop pointing fingers because truth be told, we’re all culprits here. Sure, Brazil’s complacent stand on environmental protection allowed for this to happen. But let’s not rid ourselves of the blame. Our collective consumption, inaction, and carelessness have also contributed to the burning of the Amazon. Having said this, collective action is also what we need to rectify the situation.

We all know by now that the Amazon and the many other rainforests are being ravaged and leveled to meet the ever-increasing demand for agriculture and that the companies behind this unspeakable evil are backed by powerful allies. In this seemingly unwinnable fight akin to David and Goliath, us, the consumers hold the power to bring down these giant corporations.

The solution lies in our resolve to stop consuming any product that directly contributes to the tarnishing of our environment. Remember, so long as we keep on buying, the big corporations will keep on producing.

We can start the fight by slowly eliminating meat in our diet. Data shows that raising animals for food is responsible for 91% of the Amazon destruction.

We can also habitually donate to these organizations to ensure continuity of their operations:

Donate to the Rainforest Trust https://www.rainforesttrust.org/ to help buy land in the rainforest. Since 1988, the organization has saved over 23 million acres.

Donate to Amazon Watch https://amazonwatch.org/donate an organization that protects the rainforest, defends Indigenous rights and works to address climate change.

Donate to the Amazon Conservation Team https://4agc.com/donat…/7c8a347f-b26b-48a0-b1fa-67d94b89126e which works to fight climate change, protect the Amazon and empower Indigenous people.

In closing, it is not what we do from time to time that will help the Amazon. It’s what we do CONSISTENTLY that will achieve that. 

In celebration of Taylor’s release of Lover, I have here MY definitive list of the best song she recorded per album. 

1. TAYLOR SWIFT (2006) -  TEARDROPS ON MY GUITAR 

Favorite lyrics: “Drew talks to me, and I laugh ‘cause it's just so funny, that I can't even see anyone when he's with me.”

This is the first song I heard from Taylor. It became my love anthem one particular semester in college as it perfectly captured my one-sided affection for a classmate slash friend (best believe I am cringing right now haha). 

2. FEARLESS (2008) - LOVE STORY 

Favorite lyrics: “I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress. It's a love story baby just say 'Yes'”

This song blew up the airwaves and with good reasons. It was catchy and the storytelling was impeccable. It’s one of those songs that you’d carefully listen to to follow the narrative- and I love that the most about Taylor. 

I’ve always admired her facility for breathing life into words.  She has that effortless ability to paint a picture through her carefully selected lyrics. When she sings, she tells a story. 

I must say though, that as good as this album was, it understandably lacks the lyrical depth & maturity that Taylor had shown in her more recent releases like 1989 and Reputation. 

3. SPEAK NOW (2010) -  MINE

Favorite lyrics:  “Do you believe it? We're gonna make it now. And I can see it.”

I love this album. Picking one song was quite the challenge, I must admit. But I ended up choosing ‘Mine’ because of its captivating storytelling and the way it made me feel the first time I listened to it. 

Taylor’s strength has always been her songwriting. She is one of the few artists today that can magically transport her listeners into the world she built with lyrics. With ‘Mine,’ she had me imagining a perfect future with somebody at a time when I had zero interest in relationships. Lol. I mean, how amazing was that?

4. RED (2012) -  BEGIN AGAIN

Favorite Lyrics:  “And we walked down the block to my car and I almost brought him up/ But you start to talk about the movies that your family watches/ Every single Christmas and I want to talk about that/ And for the first time what's past is past”

In this Red track, Taylor superbly detailed a familiar situation in relationships where one party is underappreciated by the other to the point that he/she feels worthless over time. 

Both in the song and in the music video, this false self-image was broken by a new love- one that is accepting and supportive of ALL the things Taylor thought she had to apologize for in her previous relationship. 

Although told from a romantic angle, this story is not exclusive to intimate couples. Taylor’s song is a beautiful reminder that no one should settle for less when it comes to love- may it be romantic, platonic or even self-love.  

5. 1989 (2014) -  CLEAN

Favorite Lyrics: “Rain came pouring down when I was drowning/ That's when I could finally breathe/ And by morning, gone was any trace of you, I think I am finally clean”

For the first time in a loooong time, I had time to spare at work 😅 I decided to spend it by writing Miggy a poem. I know I'm far from being poetically adept haha so I'm glad my small gesture garnered quite the admiration & appreciation from its receiver 🤗

Side story. As implied, I'm usually up to my neck in work. Lo and behold, a few minutes after finishing my poem, an officemate approached me with an urgent task. So yeah. I'm back to the grind.

Took a chance and got accepted 😮

🌿 Location:  62 B Mother Ignacia Avenue, Paligsahan, Quezon City

🌿 Wow Factor: Serves popular rice meals that Filipinos grew up loving such as lengua, kare-kare and the classic fried chicken but with vegan meat as substitute. 

🌿 Food Rating:

* Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings (5/5)

* Southern Fried Chicken (4.5/5) 

Some highlights of our visit to Pampanga:

🌿 Enjoyed delectable middle eastern vegan meals for brunch with Miggy and tita Milik in their lush garden. Food courtesy of Kishka House of Hummus 👍

🌿 Location: 2F D'VS Commercial Building, Doña Ana Subdivision, Batasan-San Mateo Rd, Quezon City

🌿 Wow Factor: Doubles as a zero waste store. Strictly implements a bring your own bag policy. Bought chia seeds, coconut sugar and a refill of olive oil for less than 150 pesos. The owner's cordial and accommodating. She specialises in Mediterranean and Indian cuisine and serves rice meals on Sundays.

🌿 Food Rating:

* Tofu Skin Masala Sandwich (5/5)

* Balsamic Mushroom Sandwich (5/5)

🌿 Location: 39 Malingap Teacher's Village, Quezon City

🌿 Wow Factor: Aesthetic and menu that includes vegan pastries.

🌿 Food Rating:

* Cream of Kalabasa Soup (4.5/5)

* Spring Roll Trio (3.5/5)

* Vegetable Kare-kare (4/5)

Hi there!

I’ve been transitioning to a vegan diet for over a month now.  So far, I have had the immense pleasure of dining in four vegan restaurants and one hole-in-the wall sandwich shop which, in my honest opinion, could easily edge out  meat-based competition in taste, service and aesthetic. 

Looking back, I never thought that the samgyupsal lover in me would willingly give up meat. For the longest time, I’ve had this baseless notion that vegan food is dull and bland. Fast forward to 2019- and all I can say is I have never been more wrong. Vegan food is utterly DELICIOUS and best of all, cruelty-free. 

My journey, so far, has been a breeze. Thanks to friends and online references, I never had to bend over backwards to sustain this lifestyle switch. And this support system is what I hope to replicate with VEGAN SPOTTED! 

The plan is simple: post photos of vegan restaurants/shops that I have visited to show the number of delicious options and accessible locations available to vegans and vegan curious folks alike.

If you happen to spot any vegan establishment, do let me know. I'd be more than willing to try their offerings.

Migs: *Enthusiastically* Pasok ka sa kwarto, magtatago ako tapos hanapin mo ako hehehe

Me: Okay... (Counts to twenty to give Migs time to hide)

Migs:

I had the craziest experience right before boarding the plane for Taipei…

I was denied entry by NAIA’s immigration officer (IO) for not having a Travel Authority (TA)- an endorsement government personnel must have with them before leaving the country - after I showed him my employee ID. I had no clue that I had to have it with me before boarding the aircraft.

I pleaded the officer to consider my other source of income so I won’t have to abide by the rule. Hahaha. But as I have already divulged the damning information, the officer was required to follow procedure. He wrote over my ticket to nullify its validity. He then abruptly left the counter without saying a word besides “wala ma’am, nasabi mo na eh” - his response to my earlier request.

I was left standing in front of the immigration booth for around 10 minutes, not knowing what fate had in store for me. I called up my boyfriend who was in Pampanga that time and my travel companions who were already let through by their IOs, to share the bad news.

I recounted what happened to the shock of the people on the other line. I, on the other hand, although teary-eyed, was surprisingly calm. I guess I knew that I was faced with a problem I can’t talk my way out of. I felt so defeated that for a second, I stopped trying to wiggle my way out of the mess I made. But then it occurred to me that TAs are only provided to regular employees. I am contracted as a MOA personnel so TECHNICALLY speaking, I am not a government staff. Truly an AHA! moment for me.

I reasoned out as soon as the officer returned to his post. He accommodated my objection but naturally wanted proof before I could be let into the other side. My heart sank for the only document that can back up my claim (job contract) was tucked away in my office drawer. For a moment, I thought I could ask someone to send me a scanned copy of my contract but the possibility that the’re anyone at the office at 9 in the evening, on a holiday no less, is as slim as the probability of me making it to my 11pm flight. At this point, I was already thinking of going home to San Mateo and spending the weekend working on my office deliverables. My consolatory thought? “Hey, at least I’ll be productive.”

While all of this was happening, my girl friends were calling me non-stop- panicking about the situation. My boyfriend, the sweet soul that he is, was consulting the internet for fixes. At one point, he messaged the Bureau of Immigration to validate the IO’s claim. 

I exited the officer’s window and sat on an empty table at the end of the room, desperately searching my email for anything besides my contract that could stand as proof of my MOA status. I came across a couple of emails addressed in general to MOA personnel. I knew right off the bat that any letter that didn’t explicitly say that I am of MOA status would not fly. I searched some more- NADA.

Then, just as I was about to give up, I recalled that I kept a soft copy of my Personal Data Sheet (PDS) in my google drive.  My work history is detailed in this document along with the corresponding status of appointment. Still, I had very little hope that the IO would buy what I was about to present him. After all, the PDS being a soft copy was easily editable. It also didn’t bear any signature from any of my supervisors, rendering the document unofficial. Still, I went for it.

I walked towards the direction of the booth where the officer was stationed, showed my “proof” and waited as he inspected the document. After a couple of minutes, and to my complete and utter disbelief, I was let through!

I have never felt luckier in my entire life! I mean, I was a hair's breadth away from missing my first international travel in almost three years! Suffice to say, I have learned a great deal about this fiasco, particularly about planning. It is better to be overly prepared than under- and this applies not just in traveling but in all facets of life as well.