[It’s merely hours before my birthday now. I can’t contain my boredness of welcoming my 33rd birthday.] And here I am, continuing the post well into July.
The ways you feel at any given time is really just a matter of perspective.
My initial intro for this post was anything but positive. I asked myself, do I really want to remember this birthday of mine that way? Probably not. The more birthdays we get, the more they become a precious occasion, I suppose.
Here are previous Birthday Posts I’ve written:
I’ll try to put some structure into this birthday post.
In this post, I wanna share some tidbits that have been lingering on my mind and I’ll divide them into 33 different items.
First off, I’ll be celebrating 11 key highlights of the recent past. Note that not all things may be mentioned. It’s always great to start off with a look back and show gratitude for what has been.
We then head over 11 life events along with takeaway lessons for you all.
And lastly, we will cap it off with 11 goals that I have on mind for this upcoming year for me. There probably won’t be any outrageous goals listed. Think of it rather as a list of attainable milestone for this year instead. Step by step progress is important!
Ready to get started? Here we go.
A NEW HOPE – A celebration of Gratitude and Hopeful Endeavors So Far
- Making it to 33
Not everyone makes it this far. This year alone, I’ve witnessed young people pass away due to various unfortunate circumstances and events. And even then so, even years back, some good friends of mine who were even younger then have passed away. I am appreciative of making it to 33. And every day that follows. - Good health for all loved ones around
It goes without saying that I am also very thankful for the (relatively) good health that I have, tinnitus and GERD not withstanding. What doesn’t kill you make you stronger right? But it’s not just about me. I express my dearest gratitude as well that other members of the family are in a good and healthy state. I won’t go elaborating further. I don’t want to jinx things. - Any game I could want at my finger tips
I find myself in a position where my younger self would absolutely envy me. I have or I could have whatever game that I truly fancy right then and there, at my finger tips. Pokemon, fighting games, RPGs, you name it – I could own it. I suppose as we get older, we just lose a bit of drive to play games, eh. Nonetheless, I am able to play virtually whatever I want. This has not always been the case, so I am really thankful for that. - Working online since 2008 is paying off more and more
The pandemic laid the blueprint, and here are even more people working online. I am thankful for having had the edge all this time. I worked online since 2010, albeit for myself and my own websites at the beginning… but this brought me the edge that led me to this point in time and where I am right now. I am thankful to continue be blessed with an abundance of client work and the ability to pull money out out of thin air for each and every travel that I make. - The ability to speak in front of a crowd and touch hundreds of lives
Something that started out a bit as being forced and rather put on the spot in 2008 has been really a passion of mine. And that is sharing expertise and knowledge that I have with other people. I am thankful for the gift of makapal ng mukha ang ability to knowledge transfer what’s in my mind into coherent thoughts that attendees of my various events can absorb and learn from. This 2024 alone, I’ve 4 instances where I spoke, with a 5th one coming up at Cagayan de Oro’s June WordPress meetup (if this post makes it out before that lol). I am thankful for all the chances that I get. Abroad naman next time? Hehehe. - Gadget galore almost on-demand
Since last year alone, I have had 6 different phones all in all. And none of them was like a “low end device”. I had M1 and M2 Macbook Airs, and I continue sporting a Macbook Pro for my daily work. Not to forget my work setup at home that’s backed by a 1Gbps connection. I could have all gadgets that I would want to, on-demand. But I understand that I need to be a bit more frugal. Nonetheless, I am thankful, that I have the ability to keep myself updated with some of the latest tech that has always fascinated me. Spoiler: I’m even getting an iPhone 15 Pro Max within the next couple of months. lol - 57 year-over-year flights, with over 70 accomplished since February 2023
Year over year, I have ended up with over 50 flights. Yeah, I tried ending 2023 with 50 flights but fell 2 flights short in the end, I think. But the successive travels to Manila in March, May, and June this year, along with the frequent Cebu travels has finally pushed me beyond 50 flights, year over year. Most of the travels revolve around the MCIA, NAIA, and NAIA hubs, sure… with a bit of Iloilo sprinkled in. But I am forever thankful for my experience in Cebu that has awoken in me once more the passion for aviation and the urge to travel through the clouds. Cheers to finally going international once my German passport arrives. - Success of those around me – Yannah making it to high school
A motto that I’ve gone by ever since and that I’ll continue to do so is, that the more I give to others is the more that I’ll feel successful. In turn, the more I see the people around succeed, the more thankful I feel for having been somewhat part of their respective journeys. AT NO POINT do I want to takeaway from their own efforts towards the goals and milestones they achieved, but I can’t help but be thankful and happy that each of these people allowed me to touch their lives in their journey at some point. With Yannah, it’s pretty much a given. There also other people, like some of my training facilitators at the old company I worked at who hesitated becoming facilitators because they didn’t believe in themselves. Well, I did. And look where they are now. Not to forget that one of them whom I have given a chance to excel has turned the experience and knowledge into his own VA firm! - Aside from having games: habits and hobbies that keep me sane
Whilst I am not as well read as I used to be, whilst I haven’t put in the steps that I used to do… I am still thankful that I get to have other hobbies in my life that keep me sane from the day to day daily grind of work. Hopefully, I can flesh out some of these hobbies further in the coming months. Who knows? - For all the people that stayed, came, and moved on from my journey
People come and go, and that is fine. There has been a pretty huge departure from my life recently, but I am not going to stay sad that the person has departed, but rather that the journey with them happened. I am thankful for all the new people that have been part of my journey. Those who continue journeying with me.. and those who have moved on for greener pastures. We can only make the best and make the most out of the time with our loved ones in the present. So let’s make it count. - All the doors that opened and closed
I consider myself a bit of an expert in closing and keeping doors shut… and I don’t quite mean it in a good way. lol It’s something that I am definitely working on. Nevertheless, generally speaking, I am thankful for all the doors that have opened for me over the course of the last 365 days. I am also thankful for all those that closed and redirected me through another part to get to where I am right now. And where I am right now is actually quite a great place to be.
That wasn’t that difficult to enlist, was it? Off we go with 11 lessons and takeaways.
- I wasted so much money on gadgets
While I still love to be in the know and probably would love to own the latest tech, I sort of realized now that I’ve wasted quite a lot of money on it. My main phone right now is an S23 Ultra. And it does its job perfectly fine. You don’t need to have the latest and greatest. (but they are just so nice to have!). Instead, I am pouring a lot of money on tickets and saving up for international flights. Two are slated for this year, with the great European leg coming up in 2025. - It’s all about feeling contented with where you are, but never settle.
There reaches a point, no matter how much money you make… What matters most is how you feel at the end of the day. I am not saying that earning money is unimportant… just that once you reach enough for your daily upkeep, your monthly bills, what you should look out for is how you feel before you get to bed. You can earn millions, but if you are not with a right state of mind or if you do not feel happy, these millions won’t feel like millions to you anymore. Disclaimer: no, I am not earning millions. - Blood is not always thicker than water. Not the immediate family, but the extended one.
In May of this year, my Orange cat passed away. She passed because of immense negligence on the part of my relative. A relative of mine that relied heavily on me to get started with her working from home – ESL tutoring thing earlier in the year. Dili man ko hilig mamuybuy, but she loves putting herself in a position where I just can’t help to. Nevertheless, I have never received any kind of sorry or the slightest sign of sympathy for what happened to Orange. Instead, I received the opposite. People will use and abuse you, if you let them. But this is where I draw the line. Blood is not always thicker than water. Especially the blood of extended relatives that are just opportunistically evil as this person is. - Journaling is underrated. You don’t even have to put it online.
Whilst the infrequency of content here speaks otherwise (I do keep an offline journal, okay!), I highly recommend that you guys journal. It doesn’t have to be a daily thing, maybe every end of the week or something. Express yourself. Release yourself of thoughts and information, knowing that you have a place where you can reference back for those details when needed. Clear your mind. - “Flying” itself is not THAT expensive, it’s the other accompanying cost that take weight.
Taxi fare to the airport, food at the airport, adding baggage, fare away from the arriving airport… all these small things can quickly add up in terms of cost. When I was still working in Cebu, I really pride myself of spending less than 200PHP to go from my house in Maa and make it to the office at Ayala Business Park. 30PHP Bus to the airport in Davao. Eat for free at the PAGSS lounge (nothing to write home about, but at least I don’t have to spend at the airport for water and a bit to eat). 50PHP from MCIA to North Bus / My Bus terminal. 100PHP taxi fare from there to the office. Depending on where you live, cab or Grab cost can easily cost you a fortune. Try regular commute like jeep or buses if time allows. - Burn out is bad. But keep on moving.
There comes a period in your life where burnout is inevitable. May it be because you think you can manage or maybe because you just have to bite yourself through a certain period in your life. In some shape or form, it will find you. But don’t let it get hold of you for too long. It’s the worst trap to get stuck in. Don’t find comfort in rehabilitating from a burnout, make sure that you keep moving. Even if it’s just going to be one small step at a time. - Starting young with a daughter paid off in the long run for me. (YMMV)
The moment I knew I’d have a kid coming, I was hyper excited. Contrary to what many believed initially, Yannah was not a mistake. (Seriously, it took quite some time to get her). I admit, that I didn’t really plan much further beyond having a daughter (yes, I just knew it would be a her, don’t ask me why). I am blessed to have had two very supportive parents who picked up the scraps when I was pretty much a nobody when I had Yannah… but now, that I have stabilized myself a bit more, I have to say that it’s really paid off to have her at a young age. I now have someone whom I can talk to and share common interests with, go out watching movies, and eat at new places with. In no time, she will be in college (and will have cost me a foot and a leg if she continues studying at the Ateneo, lol). Again, your mileage may vary. - Life comes in seasons.
My late father would say that life comes in seasons. Every 3-5 years some of your interests and hobbies will change. Your circle changes, heck, even your perspective in life may change. Of course, there are things that are very much innate with you. For me, that’s Pokemon, gaming in general, and of course Bayern Munich (okay fine, football as a whole). But yes… just looking back to the last 5 years, and thus, my previous relationship… I sense the next step is coming soon. A new season in my life is about to unfold. I got bit of a taste of it already last year when I spent a decent chunk of 2023 in Cebu. What will the next 5 years hold? - Your best friends often turn out to be those whom you least expect
The awesome thing about expanding your circle and making friends is that there’s no prerequisite to it. There are no requirements. You just need to get along and are able to see eye to eye. You both would want the best for each other, if that makes sense. I have made great strides over the last 2-3 years in expanding my closest circle of friends. People got added. People got dropped off. The funny thing is that sometimes, the closest ones are the ones that do you wrong… and the most cherished connections come unexpectedly. - Some bridges have to be burned down (for your own sanity)
This place a bit hand in hand with the previous point above. I have to say, there have been a number of bridges that got burned in recent years that I am quite happy about. However, I also acknowledged that there are important connections where I’ve dropped the ball a little. Nonetheless, if you feel a connection is not worth the energy and effort anymore, drop it. Let them go. And no, this does not refer to romantic connections only. This hold especially true for extended relatives that are just assholes. Period. - 1% Growth is still growth
Make sure that you end up being a better version of yourself every day. I know,I know, here we go with The Atomic Habits once again. But it’s true. Maybe improving every single day sounds tedious and the overthinker in you might wonder what happens when you have a bad day — instead, I propose that you look into improving yourself month over month. Be a better person in August, than you were in July. It musn’t be in ALL aspects of your life.. but just improve. Don’t stagnate. Don’t regress. Keep going at all cost.
Alright. So what does that mean for the year that’s ahead? The year, where I’ve already wasted a month trying to finish this post in? (Yes, we’re writing the 14th of July as I finish this write up)
Here’s what I have planned for the remainder of the year and beyond.
- Speak at more events and at varied places
First and foremost of course, I have quite scratched that itch of mine of talking more since last year… and that itch is still there. I am looking forward to expanding my arsenal of talks and not limit myself to WordPress, but to other tech and professional topics as well. What I can do about this would be prepare a number of pitch templates that I will submit to schools and offer my services to talk. - Expand my professional network
The above mission of mine to talk at more venues about different things plays well with this point. I’d love to expand my circle. Not necessarily my “friends” circle, but rather professional circle. I want to get close to people that punch way above my class. Learn from them, grow through them. - Start gaining some passive income
I honestly don’t quite know how to get started with this one. But, I should definitely look into earning some passive income. It’s clear that I don’t have a plan in place yet for this. Think of it as more of a challenge for myself. - Get 3 international travels under my belt
With my German passport arriving shortly, I’m really excited to get traveling. Within this year and until my next birthday, I’d be expecting to get three travels under my belt. Here we go, SQ, LH, and other airlines. (or maybe PR and 5J if the prices are ridiculously affordable lol) - Make meaningful purchase decisions
My tech arsenal at the moment is not the latest anymore. I think it’s time to make some meaningful upgrades. Not everything needs to be upgraded across the board, but some items could be. Maybe a new Macbook for the aging M1 Macbook Pro, so that this laptop can be handed down further… or a new Mac mini for this M1 mac mini? You see, the devices that I have at my disposal all still work very, very well. There’s not much more that I could need, but wants are a different story altogether. Phones don’t have to be upgraded every year anymore, or heck like I did, every half a year lol. - Be more mindful in the actions that I take
The older I get, the more calculated I should be in the actions that I take. I’ve lost quite a number of people, not just in the romantic sense, because of my recklessness or moodiness. This has to change. I need to be more mindful and show more intent in all the actions that I take. If I do things mediocrely, it would be best not to do it at all. - Learn how to cook (and therefore get new cooking equipment)
I know many of you have waited for this. The time is now. - Make the Germansion Annex homey again
Since 2022, home hasn’t quite felt like home anymore. But it’s not just that… it hasn’t quite looked like home, too. I’m looking forward to adding items again to my place and make it more comfortable not just for myself but for when people are visiting and/or staying over. - Project Yannah: Community and Learning
Whilst Yannah has shown only moderate interest in learning WordPress or in the tech industry, generally speaking… I’ll try to integrate her in some communities that I am active in. I think it’s important that she learns from the big guns, so to speak. As dad would say, you are the average of the 5 most interacted people around you. Also, her ability to speak German needs to be refreshed and looked at. She cannot lose her ability to speak the language at all costs… because just being able to speak it should open multitudes of opportunities for her in the future. - Project Good Health
For quite sometime now, I have worried about my health, but I have not looked into it at all. I think I should. A general checkup is definitely in order, along with having a more healthier lifestyle. It’s time to dust off those running shoes once more and join my other friends’ running era. - Find someone to grow with together
It’s not the lack of people, the problem is more on me. But I should slowly find someone that I want to grow with. I want to think I work best if I have someone around me, not similarly in every sense, but at least some interests. Will this 33rd year on earth be that year that I’ll find that someone? Have I already found the person? Maybe this year will bring the answers.
And that concludes the list, a list that I should have long had completed. I’m happy to have made it to 33 years on this world. There are people, young people, that have ended their journey much sooner than I did. Every day is a blessing. And in every day, I should plan in being better. Just as we all should.
With this, I want to express gratitude to everyone who has been with me throughout all these years, those who have touched my life and already left, and those who are still around. I am thankful that my mother is still kicking ass, as she nears her 80s. I am thankful to have an amazing daughter, though she can be quite stubborn as evident in recent weeks… but I digress.
PS: I’m extra missing my cats that passed away already. Now, Tommy, Gollum, and Orange, who just passed away this year because of a ridiculous situation with my relatives here. I just thought of them as I was scrolling through my Lightroom library to find a fitting featured photo for this post.
As whole, I am happy with the year that has been… and I look forward to what 2024-2025 has in store for me.
You made it Kevs, I’m happy for you, keep going..