Staircase Wit

1. Iloilo 2. Cebu 3. Legazpi (because of how beautiful Mt. Mayon was) 4. Davao 5. Sorsogon 6. Lucena 7. Butuan Ranking is purely based on personal experience. I know I missed out on a lot of things these cities could offer because, you know, I was there for work and only went sightseeing after work hours. Really grateful for a job that sends me to these beautiful places.

It was 2016 when I first heard about Hamilton. I started listening to the Original Broadway Cast Recording on Spotify, and I was instantly hooked. I even fooled myself into thinking I was into rap and hip-hop. I was a one-year old lawyer then. I remember being able to finish drafting a pleading—an Answer no less—in less than three hours, and I hear the lines of Non-Stop in my head: “Why do you write like you're running out of time? Write day and night like you're running out of time?” Hamilton was my inspiration for writing. If he was able to write 51 essays in a span of six months, maybe I can finish my pleading before it’s due. Some of the songs were part of my workout playlist. My favorite songs to work out to were Guns and Ships, Cabinet Battle #1, and of course, My Shot. I was on the treadmill when I heard these lines, and contemplated about my lack of beliefs and convictions on a lot of things: “We studied and we fought and we killed For the notion of a nation we now get

 Davao City was a blast! Went there for the National Convention of Lawyers, but will definitely return for the food, beautiful scenery, and wonderful people. I gorged myself on Kinilaw na Tuna and everything durian: Fresh durian, Durian Coffee, Durian Shake, Durian Crepe, and Durian Candy. I regret not trying the Durian Pie I saw at the airport! It was such a short visit, and I know Davao City has so much more to offer. Hope to see you again soon, Davao City! Also hoping that when I return to the Island Garden City of Samal, it will be to stay at Pearl Farm.

1. Ang drama queen ni Criston Cole. Duuuude, the gay lover of Laenor Velaryon is super happy with his secret boyfriend status, tapos ikaw, you're whining and all. Youre not sweet and romantic, you are selfish because you want Rhaenyra to abandon her birthright just to appease your guilt. 2. Grabe chemistry ni Rhaenyra with all her past and future lovers, even with her betrothed na gagawin lang siya na beard. Milly Alcock is a great actress. 3. Look at Laena Velaryon, all grown up and sophisticated. Ito 'yung sinayang mo, Viserys. LOL. 4. There are only two peaceful weddings in Westeros:      a.) Robb Stark and Talisa Maegyr's wedding (show canon); and     b.) Tyrion Lannister and Sansa Stark's wedding.

 Saw Dune on the Netflix catalog and finally watched it. Beautiful imagery and immersive world-building. The film is 2 hours and 35 minutes long pero sobrang bitin when it ended. This is how films based on books are supposed to be--you will enjoy and understand the story and lore, but you know you will be even more amazed if you read the books because the religion, politics, technology, and characters have so much more to offer. I used to play Dune 2000 when I was a kid, and I enjoyed seeing the vehicles and buildings (the ornithopter, harverster, carrier, and silos) from the game. I've read the first several chapters of Frank Herbert's Dune, and this film just made me promise to myself that I will finish reading the book.

  Ang ganda. Has all the politics, intrigue, sex, and interesting antiheroes Game of Thrones at its high point offered us. Great table-setting episode. I am hooked! Another good reason for you to watch: Matt Smith plays a major character. x

I honestly feel awful and disappointed after eating Randy’s Donuts. Para akong nalulunod sa asukal after the experience. Their donuts are just too big, sugary, and bready. I do not get that satisfied feeling I get after eating a well-deserved dessert. A good dessert should leave you craving for just one more bite, not wanting to puke out that montrosity you forced yourself to finish eating because it was too expensive for a piece of bread. I just gave it another try, because a branch opened up near our office, and I instantly regretted it after taking one bite. American servings are not good for Filipinos. Our parents taught us to clean out our plate. Kapag dumami pa ang branches ng Randy’s Donuts, we will be a metropolis of people growing fat on donuts we don’t even like. Maybe when you do try their donuts, share one with a friend. Or four friends. When I got back to the office from lunch break, a colleague offered me kutsinta from Biñan, Laguna. I was so full, but I took one just to

Imagine being in a relationship for almost two decades with the love of your life, and one day, the relationship just abruptly ends. You're back to the drawing board, but how do you start dating again in the 2020s when you have never seen a dating app in your life? Imagine being gay and middle-aged, on top of all these. How do you uncouple from a pseudo-marriage you have gotten so used to, when your entire lives have been so closely entangled for what feels like forever, when all your friends are common friends, when you share a mailbox, a Netflix account, and an expensive New York apartment? Netflix's Uncoupled's main character, Michael (played by the charming and talented Neil Patrick Harris) is a male and middle-aged Carrie Bradshaw: romantic, dislikes being single, dynamic but can sometimes get old-fashioned, and can get whiny and needy. Unsurprisingly, it feels very similar to Sex and the City, an ode to New York (its culture, art scene, and hip bars and restaurants) a

 Our 100-page 8.5 x 11” hardcover Photobook finally arrived. I was able to put in all of our wedding photos (the photobook has 100 pages!). I think it’s cheaper compared to having all the photos printed and buying a photo album. The paper and the photo quality are great. It was easy and fun to layout. I just dropped the photos I want to include for each page, then picked from their suggested layouts. You can also manually layout if you have the skill and the time.

In Marry Me (2022), huge pop superstar Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez) is set to marry her fiancé during a concert, where they are supposed to perform their hit song together, entitled (you guess it) Marry Me. Minutes before the ceremony, Kat finds out her fiancé cheated on her, and decides to instead get married to a stranger in the crowd: math teacher Charlie Gilbert (portrayed by Owen Wilson). The plot is very similar to Notting Hill (the crème de la crème of rom-com), and Marry Me is nowhere near as witty and delightful as Notting Hill. But Owen Wilson’s quiet and awkward charm just makes him so likable. His character is not wildly romantic—he just says yes to J-Lo’s character to help a person in the midst of a nervous breakdown. He is reasonable, pragmatic, and a downright nice guy, which makes you want to root for him. As for J-Lo’s character, well, she’s just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her. Unlike Notting Hill’s Anna Scott. Anna Scott was a jerk. Watch Ma

Our photographer just turned over all the edited photos from the wedding day. We are very grateful to our parents, our ninongs and ninangs, the bridesmaids and groomsmen, family, and friends who virtually and physically celebrated the day with us. To those who attended, thank you for being there considering it was at the height of the Omicron surge. Thank you for your generous gifts and warm wishes. We are forever grateful. Eric and Carla's Church Wedding 1.11.2022 Church: San Pedro Calungsod Parish - Sanctuary of Padre Pio Reception: The Mango Farm Events Place P/V: Eyestrain Photos & Motion

The weather was perfect, the church was just so beautiful, the flowers were exquisite, and the musicians were playing the musical score from my all-time favorite film (Love Theme from Cinema Paradiso) perfectly. I couldn't stop myself from crying when I saw my parents. When we reached the altar, Eric was looking at me and holding my hand even more lovingly than he normally does. My bridal march was as magical as I imagined it would be.

I am terribly embarrassed by the fact that not only did I finish watching He's All That, kinilig pa ako. Don't get me wrong: there are so many scenes in this movie that will make you cringe. It's a waste of time. Yadda yadda yadda. (I saw it twice.) Notes on the Netflix movie: 1. Best thing about the movie: the two characters who also starred in the OG movie She's All That, Rachael Leigh Cook and Matthew Lillard. 2. Tanner Buchanan's character acts all sulky, gloomy, and unimpressive, but the moment Addison Rae's character shares a scene with him, he actually glows and becomes charming. 3. I love the cover of "Kiss Me", and how they used the song in the movie. So cute and adorable. 4. Jordan Van Draanen's song is downright horrible but it keeps on playing in my head.

  With sex, politics, and royal intrigue a-plenty, The Cook of Castamar is like Bridgerton on steroids, minus the young hottt Duke (and replaced by a much older and distinguished-looking Duke). This provocatively entertaining period series can be streamed on Netflix.