No Sweat

Home

In life, one has to sacrifice to get. To choose an action based on the outcome and not necessarily the enjoyment of the action. In this mindset, I come home. I love seeing all my friends and going to my old haunts (and discovering new ones), but sometimes it's just too much. Sometimes, I want to be able to stay home for a day and finally tend to my overgrown eyebrows.

But let's face it. I'm here and obliged to lap it all up! I had three whole days in Virginia, and that involved six different outings to see friends, doctor's and dentist's appointments, and a lot of exclusive time with Pops. After that, my family and I got in a(n uncomfortable) car for the five-hour journey to New York where we'd be celebrating Ma's birthday with my aunts and uncles. Being my only weekend home, I was torn by the fact that it barred me from seeing friends. Moreover, I hate, hate, hate car travel.

For one who travels a helluva lot in her life (see previous blogs for evidence, hehe), I despise getting back to the US. I am completely dependent on cars, unable to go to my local hang out spot without one; I spend so much time braking for red lights, staying close (enough) to the speed limits, cursing ignorant drivers, circling round for parks and being told off by my backseat and passenger seat drivers. I hate the fact that I'm idly sitting down and thinking I'm going places. It's counterintuitive.

But as David from Company says, "You gotta give up to get", and in my trip home this time around, here's a visual of what I got.

Nature Walk with Pop & Ham

This Face <3

My Haircut (thank God for that)

Caitlin + The Best Kombucha in Town

Food and Culture

One Foot in the Door and Already Posing for Photos!

I'll break it down for you: being Filipino is not easy. Furthermore, being vegetarian and Filipino is not easy! This weekend was an onslaught of food, constantly being fried up and ingested. Being veggie helped to combat the excessive eating, but not by much. As my aunts continuously offered me foods I couldn't eat (then concluded with, "what can you eat!?"), and my father made claims that I starved myself, I stuck to stuffing my face with the vegetable spring rolls (all of which were dripping with oil), pancit (filipino noodle dish), eggs, nuts, cheese, fruits, and of course, cakes.

I also nursed a lot of tea and whiskey this weekend. 

with the Birthday Girl

Blowing Out the Candles!

Two Irreplaceable Individuals!
LOVE THEM!!!!!!

Let's Give them Something to Tacobout! 

^^^ Pun courtesy of Connor Ahearn^^^.

To polish off the weekend, my mother and I got back in the car (ugh) to celebrate Caitlin's 25th (yay) at a taco party! After a conversation with a sage Brit about how to manage time when visiting home, Caitlin finally arrived an hour and a half late, but quickly became the life of the party. As I rounded her up for a photo, she continuously laughed at everything and nothing! It made me feel like a loved individual, inducing laughter simply because I was there, celebrating with her. But then again, she's an unstoppable happy drunk and couldn't help but laugh at my accidental selfie!

Always Number 1. 

Sweet Sweat

So, after a week of sitting in a car to go to outings where I eat heaps, I think it's about time I hit the exercise and get my life back in order! This is about the most work I've done since being home. Hammer ate up four of the balls before we had to oust him for poor sportsmanship. Fun times.