Happy Sunday!

The day job is starting to collect more work. But everything remains manageable. Teaching is still fine except for the papers needed to be reviewed. It's this freelance work I have been praying to finally end. How I wish I could relate the details, but I have to admit something. I'm starting to regret accepting this freelance work. Along the way, I realized how much I have been deceived. Despite discussing my working arrangement, client refuses to comply. I have been receiving text messages from this client everyday. I'm starting to feel irritated especially when the chain of text messages will be followed by a series of phone calls. I have stated from the start that I have a day job and I only work on weekends. Client told me that my output is due for presentation last February. It has been March and client is still claiming that my output is needed for presentation. When is really the deadline now?  I'm starting to feel that client just wants to pressure and impose an artificial deadline for me. But what really irritates me, client has been changing the data every now and then. In effect, I'm left with the burden of forever  revising the report. Forgive me for becoming unprofessional, but I'm convinced not to finish the project anymore. I gave myself a deadline. After this last output to be emailed, I will quit from the project. Never mind if I will not get paid. Never mind if client will say negative things about me. The hassles, inconveniences, stress, added to this the fact when I realized that I have been underpaid, everything is not just worth it.

As for my other freelance work, it's starting to feel challenging too. But I'm enjoying it because it's on a different avenue. It hones another skill I wanted to improve. This work also gives me another benefit. It reduces my bad habit of oversleeping. Part of the work needs to be done in the morning, while the sun is still up. Hence, the past weekend has become better for me. I'm able to wake up a little early and a contagion effect of this, I'm becoming a little more productive during weekends.

I didn't have photos that captured my weekdays. I didn't visit a new a place. No food escapades. Nothing went really interesting to be documented and shared. I organized and captured few photos on Saturday morning. 

I had breakfast under the sun. Literally. Hahaha I needed to do it for the other freelance work. In the second photo is my favorite PiP Planer and the popular and a bottle of Perrier.... which I only bought because I wanted the bottle for a DIY project. Haha 

I also received some postcards from the Netherlands. Thank you dearest Marieken!

The parcel of land has become my Father's real version of  Farmville or Farmtown. Hahaha I'm happy to report that most of the vegetables we have at home were harvested from this place. But ask me why I was in this space? I needed it for the freelance work. 

While accomplishing a project, I accidentally trip off my left foot. Oh my! This is the last thing I wanted to happen. I cannot afford to be injured. And as expected, I had a bad case of sprain. A few years ago, I had a similar stupidity. Hahaha I thought I just trip off from a pavement. My left foot ached for a while. Not too long after, walking felt painful. The nurse at the workplace tied ice bags around. Part of the side of my ankle expanded. It exaggeratedly swelled and started to turn a little black. This made me realize the injuries are not always cured by ice or cold packs. I wasn't able to report for work the next day. My mother sought the help of a Physical Therapist. It didn't take a day for the swelling to finally subside. Although I later noticed that the injured side of my left ankle did not return from its original size.

Fast forward now, I got to the same stupidity again. I wasn't aware that the steps in my Father's Famville were uneven. I was rushing to reach the middle part of the place when my left foot made another showdown My poor left foot tripped off again. In my effort to salvage my poise hahaha I mean, to maintain my balance, my left foot carried the burden again. I felt like my injury five years ago will make a comeback. But since I learned my lesson, I followed my colleague's advice. On accidents, don't force the injured part of the body to move. I stood up for a while and waited until the initial pain subsided. When I got home, NO MORE ICE PACKS. Never again. I instead applied Katinko . My left foot is still painful and a little swelled. Walking still feels a little painful. Taking the stairs is another problem. But the recent injury wasn't as worst as five years ago.

Filipino friends and kids of the 80s - 90s, who can still remember the plant on the last photo? It's been a while since  I last saw a Makahiya plant. For those who are not familiar, the plant has very sensitive leaves. The leaves fold for a while whenever it receives even the smallest movement.

Thank you Ash and Muff for my monogrammed canvas bag. If you liked monogrammed items for your home and daily needs, visit their website and Instagram account.

Setting aside all these stories, here are a few interesting things that made my week.

I'm loving West Elm's Instagram account - I've always been in loved with the minimalism and Scandinavian interior design. Even the instagram accounts of their regional branches are so lovely. I wanted to visit their branch in Estancia Mall. But most of you are probably aware that the mall belongs to the segment of the upscale market. Prices are surely not something I would love. Although part of me is wishing that they have a local online shopping site. With that, I can virtually window shop and identify items that my limited budget can reach. :) And speaking of online shopping, the #TitaOfManila inside me has become more appreciative with the conveniences of online shopping. How I wish all my favorite shops will have a facility like Zalora. Online shopping is so convenient especially now that choosing the right clothes that fit are a whole easier now because there's free returns with Zalora.

Book Photography - This is a new trend I discovered in Instagram. I found a number of book lovers taking beautiful photos of their book collections.

Still about books, I wanted to read Jandy Nelson's I'll Give You the Sun.

Missing Mommy by Rebecca Cobb - This children's book about bereavement made me cry.

My dear friend A is so excited about Me Before You's movie adaptation. I want to read the book before watching the movie.

And because it's Women's Month, the National Museum granted FREE ADMISSION for all women this month.

I initially thought that I will not be able to write anything this week. Thanks to my stupid foot injury ahahahaha