Category: Life

Happy New Year, everyone!

While I am thankful for passing 2021 alive, I am wondering if things have changed. Sure, we no longer have quarantine levels and instead it’s replaced with alert levels as if a volcano erupts; but nevertheless, it felt like quarantine.

Having lived with the virus around for two years, I felt I grew regressively. My mood swings felt worse, my longing for something went deeper, and I am dumbfounded once again to find my sense of self at the start of the year. Heck, I just checked the fireworks from inside my place. That’s about it.

Speaking from the heart, I felt that 2021 wasn’t over. I’m not yet done in planning ahead. I’m not yet ready for the year coming ahead. Do you feel the same? If yes, let’s have a virtual hug.

We don’t know what’s to come, but the best we can do at the moment is to bond with family.

Work will be back in two days. It’s status quo for me. I felt nothing has changed. It’s still 2020 too.

If there’s a good wind of change that I’ve experienced in 2021, it’s the fact that I got out and met my kind. It should be on YouTube now.

Now, for changes: I will channel more energy into what I do at Anime Corner, and I trust that recent developments will help grow its scope. Therefore, I won’t be doing much here at keepsakes. aside from posting podcasts and sharing memes on Facebook.

Yes, the podcast continues. I just need to muster up to approach the next guest.

That’s it for me, and I hope you find your happiness.

Desk Diaries are still here. It’s been a long time since I wrote one.

I am taking a rest from work. I’m also kinda tipsy from the 2nd jab of the Moderna vaccine at Vaccine-con. I will refer to it as such because “Mega Vaccination Area” at SM Megatrade Hall is a mouthful to speak of.

Besides, I missed Megatrade Hall so much – it’s been a home to many, many, many events. For this entry, let me be delirious until I can.

Vaccine Con day 2 is where I got my souvenir – a second dose. Just like most convention at Megatrade, we got in line before the mall opens. We got our tickets, which is the vaccination cards we got from Day 1, our first dose.

Unlike any convention, Vaccine Con is where I will need to entertain myself on our own terms. I’m glad that data connection’s ok, so I kept myself glued to YouTube. After lining up and confirming my profile for almost three hours, I got my second jab.

I’ve been alerted that if I survived the first dose unscathed, the second vaccine dose will knock me out. Just like convention hangover, it did. Joint pains, headache, chills, hunger, etc., just around 12 hours after the jab.

The next day proved to be annoying as I have to be on the ground for a virtual event on Zoom, but I survived it nevertheless.

Today is also the day I went back to that story on Japan Video Topics where kids get hands-on on adulting, just like the concept of KidZania (which by the way is still present in other countries, even if they’re no longer in the Philippines).

The title of the segment is “Children in Charge,” part of Japan Video Topics 2003 Volume 6. This segment is played mostly by TV networks who has spare time to show educational content. It’s no longer in circulation, but I’m placing an unofficial source below:

I watched a video from an unofficial source again, only to realize that I’m familiar with the organization who helped set it up: Junior Achievement.

The project is called “JA Student City,” which in this video is implemented in Shinagawa, a special ward in Tokyo.

I know Junior Achievement because as a professional I was asked to give advice to students of a JA-supported private school in Dagupan. They gave me a mug as a token, which I am using to this day.

To think that they spearheaded this project, I’d love to see this shown again on television. Sure, we can’t do this physically in these days, but soon enough, I’d love to share experiences to younger people.

As with every Desk Diary, I’ll start with a thought: I miss travelling so much. Most especially, I miss going to Singapore. My First and Last Journey overseas before this pandemic happened isn’t enough. At all.

This, on top of missing going to physical events – because a lot has happened last weekend. Setting aside the World Cosplay Summit wherein the Philippines successfully bagged its first major award (I’ll talk about it later), I saw events like Otakon in the US and Dokomi in Germany popping on my news feed.

Going back to Singapore, I stumbled upon a live stream of Singapore’s National Day Parade (NDP). The Parade is held annually to celebrate the birth of Singapore as a nation, spinning off from Malaysia. As with anything in this pandemic, it’s toned down. Nevertheless, it is wonderful. I heard a good song playing in the background as I watch. It led me to listen to this year’s NDP Theme Song, “The Road Ahead.”

I’d like everyone to pay attention to the chorus:

See this island, every grain of sand

Hear this anthem, it’s the voices of our friends

Come whatever on the road ahead

We did it before, and we’ll do it again

It rings in my head very well – and with good purpose. The song speaks of a hopeful tone at best, it tugs to the heart. The music video’s visuals strike a perfect balance too. It’s a song that I can recommend to everyone if you want to know more about the little red dot – now let’s learn more about its 64 islands.

I’m adding this to the collection of “Songs I keep playing,” and even if you’re not a Singaporean, I hope you listen to this track too. I have 4 more songs in the album as well, and more to add over time.

That said, this is my first Desk Diary in months. Now, let me get back to sleep watching my travelogue out of nostalgia. Don’t let anyone tell you that it’s narcissism, that’s a different thing.