Hello there week long rainy weather! After months of complaining about the "always summer" weather in Manila, the rainy season has finally arrived. While I appreciate the rare cold temperature, the hassles it bring is "thanks, but no thanks." Traffic worsens. For some reason, even the train's operations get affected. And for those who are also working in Manila, one can surely relate about the struggle of walking along the flooded streets. Good thing though, a benefit arising from working in an academic institution is the suspension of work along with the classes.

The non-stop rain fall on Saturday morning has been very conducive for sleeping, movie marathon, and all those lazy activities at home. But for someone who lives in Marikina, the enjoyment is replaced by worries. Typhoon Ondoy in 2009 traumatized families here whenever excessive rain fall is experienced. We felt a little better when the rains ceased in the afternoon. 

Before Friday, I engaged in some panic buying. Yes, another trauma brought by the unfortunate event in 2009. I bought a lot of toiletries and food. I craved for tacos so I took home some ingredients as well. Happy Tummy! Everybody happy at home! I also realized that DIY tacos are way cheaper than the usual indulgences, particularly food deliveries, during weekends. For a budget of Php 150, we have enough tacos for the weekend.

Other than my satisfied taco craving, here are the other beautiful things that made the past week.

Gifts from Leah - Thank you for the wooden coasters Leah! It will surely be useful for my future projects. 
Charlie Brown and Snoopy - Found this on sale from a nearby McDonald's store. I had no plans of buying but Charlie Brown reminded me of my pet dog, Doglas. Unfortunately, our dear Doglas is not in a good state now. Some inconsiderate neighbor with a nice car played hit and run to our poor Doglas. 

Trip to Magnolia Ice Cream House - I appreciate Robinsons Mall Magnolia because of the lesser crowd and space. But I have to admit, I hated its construction because it meant destroying the old Magnolia Ice Cream House, one of my favorite childhood memories. For me, the old Magnolia Ice Cream House in Quezon City is heritage. But then again, who am I to judge? I don't have knowledge in urban planning. My only consolation is that Robinsons Corporation decided to recreate the ice cream house. I've been to the mall a few times and this was the first time I got to try the recreated Magnolia Flavor House. I love that it's located in the middle of a garden, the full glass structure and the swirl chairs inside. We ordered ice cream in the middle of a cold and rainy afternoon. Hahaha I enjoyed my ube ice cream and catching up stories with my friends.

Few scenes from the Metropolitan Theater - I have been wanting to take photos of the beautiful but decaying Metropolitan Theater. Problem is, it is not the safest place for using mobile phones or cameras. But last Friday, I had the chance to take photos because my friend A is playing competitive with Pokemon Go. Hahahaha My photos are still limited. But here's the catch, my friends have been very superstitious about the abandoned theater. They have their own ghost and unusual stories. I didn't believe any of them not until.... I discovered that my camera started to show some deterioration after taking photos of the theater. Noooooooo! 

My Sony camera is starting to show error messages. In particular, it shows E:62:10 error whenever I use it. Also, it takes some time before the display screen shows up. I tried searching for solutions. A lot suggested a very risky move. Slapping the sides of the camera seem to resolve the problem for some Sony users. But no, I will never do that. I have plans on the last quarter of the year and buying another camera is not one of them. Having another unexpected expense is not an option. While I have a decent camera from my Samsung A8, I'm still comfortable with the shots from my Sony camera. For some reason, I can't get my preferred filters and appearance with shots taken from my mobile phone. Anyone who has encountered same problems with a Sony camera? Please, I beg. Share me your solutions. 

Here are other beautiful things I encountered last week

Selfie of North and South Korean Gymnasts is love - Although, I'm part of the crowd who began to worry about the fate of the North Korean girl. 

Dreams do come true for Joseph Schooling - I love the story of Singaporean kid who defeated the person he looks up to, Michael Phelps. But Phelps does not have to be ashamed of anything. I'm speechless with his performance. 

Define a happy and supportive workplace - I love what DHL did for their employees, especially for those addicted with Pokemon Go hahaha

Smart Retention Program - And no,this is not a sponsored mention. Haha I had my Smart postpaid line renewed before weekend. I was surprised with the Rebate program they gave me. Yaaay! Thanks Smart! 

The Parisian Macao Hotel - When I visited Macao last year, this hotel was still under construction. I thought it was just an extension from one of the existing hotels. Turns out, it was another magnificent structure in Macao. While my Europe Trip is still impossible hahaha I can settle for this for the mean time. 

I'm typing this post while listening to Jon Secada's playlist. I didn't realize that I will love his songs. Like I often mention here, I'm an old soul. I have enjoyed the music genre way older than me. :)

Wishing everyone a beautiful Sunday and a great week ahead. Stay safe and dry :)