I’m reading Attack on Titan on Manga and I am Deeply Hooked!

I started reading Attack on Titan yesterday. I wanted so badly to watch Attack on Titan anime ever since I saw the trailers for the movie. But I have no patience with downloading the whole thing and our internet connection is dreadful when it comes to video streaming so I decided to read the manga instead. And this is actually my first time to read manga since I initially believed that I would not like reading manga because I would get bored since I got so used to watching anime and seeing real action being played out on the screen. But reading Attack on Titan on manga completely changed everything I initially believed in. There are actually not enough words to describe what I am feeling right now upon reading Attack on Titan on manga. The whole plot really works for me. There is so much possibility in the plot that I contemplate about it when I go to the bathroom or eat my lunch. I did not know I could still get this excited. I actually only ever felt this much excitement when I was able to play a new old school game I haven’t played before. Like that time I played Earthbound and I was positively shivering with delight. And that’s what Attack on Titan does to me now. Makes me shiver with delight and excitement.

I have felt so many emotions when I read this manga and I can’t stop reading. I am in my office cubicle and I am reading manga. This is insane! But to be fair, I have nothing work related to do today, and I usually am a diligent worker, I swear. I am only on chapter 9 by the way. And I am also starting a Mikasa Ackerman fan club but I am guessing there’s already a bunch of those around, so I might just join one. And I think it’s safe to say that I might ruin my life and not be able to do anything for a while since all I want to do now is read this series.

If you want to read this amazing manga, here’s the website where I am currently reading it à http://www.mangatown.com/manga/shingeki_no_kyojin

A Quick Trip to Baguio

Two weeks ago my sister invited me to go with them to Baguio. It was a quick trip and it’s actually a trip that involves another purpose and not for “gala” or travel, so not a lot of sightseeing occurred.

On the way to Baguio, we bought tupig at La Union and ate them along the way. The drive there was fairly quick but once we entered Baguio, the traffic was frustrating. It was around lunchtime when we arrived at Baguio and we were getting really hungry. We were actually supposed to meet other people at a restaurant called Good Taste. And we got there at about 1pm and thankfully the food was already served when we got there. Sadly, because we were so hungry, we forgot to take photos of the food, but it was really delicious. The soup got cold too soon though. Well, when in Baguio.

After lunch we went to our accommodation. It was in Upper Rock Quarry and is fairly near Burnham Park.

After that we went to a place called Middle, which is a really high up area that gives you a stunning view of the city of Baguio.

After that, we decided to grab some dinner. And we all agreed to go to Good Taste again. You could probably tell that we love the food there by the mere fact that we ate there twice in a day. And for the second time that day, we forgot to take pictures! After dinner, we walked around session road.

And then we walked around the famous street where all the Ukay-Ukay goods are laid out and people flock there to shop.

The next day, we decided to go to Sitio La Presa, which became very famous because the TV show called Forevermore has been filmed there. We rode a jeepney and boy was the road to La Presa steep. And the view was amazing.

Sitio La Presa was basically overrun with tourists (and yes that includes us). It was very cold and you can see fields of vegetables over a backdrop of green mountains.

After La Presa, we went to Benguet. We were actually able to have lunch at a house there and I love the Pinikpikan. I was actually wondering why I kept chewing on tiny bits of bone while I sipped the soup until someone explained to me that the chicken used for the soup has actually been subjected to stick beating before being cooked. I should not have asked cause that made me a bit sad for the chicken. The other dish we had for lunch was a sort of Chicken Dinuguan. Dinuguan in the Philippines is typically pork, so this was something new for me. It was also very delicious and I will for a long time remember how delicious those dishes were.

It was raining hard and was very foggy when we finally took the ride down from Baguio. And even though I was not really able to do much in Baguio during this trip, I still enjoyed the cold weather, the food and the scenery, which I think still is worth the trip. I am planning to take a longer vacation in Baguio in December and I cannot wait to see everything then.

My 5th Attempt

So, I finally decided to stop smoking. Even as I write this, it feels weird saying it out loud.  I have been a smoker ever since I entered college, so that was about more or less 11 years ago. I got into smoking because basically when you are in college you experiment with a lot of stuff and I was into bad-ass image with a little a bit of dorky vibe and the smoking I think gave me that bad-ass image, I think.  But I actually only smoke when I am not in the house, or when I am out drinking. I don’t feel the urge to smoke when I’m in the house, I know some people who would go crazy if they have not smoke in a day, but I do not feel any of that. I think this quit smoking thing is my 5^th attempt. I don’t know if I would succeed this time, but it feels different now to tell you the truth. I feel like I am finally able to do this this time around. I just went out the other week and usually the hardest part for me would be when I am filled with alcohol and everyone around me is smoking and giving me cigarettes. But I was actually able to say no to everyone and not smoke a single cigarette that night. So hurrah!

So what finally made me try to quit smoking? Well recently a high school friend died. Of course when someone your age or near your age dies you rethink about all your choices in life. The truth is, death really scares me to the point that when I think about it, I hyperventilate. But I know this is something we would all have to face one day but I would really prefer to experience death later rather than sooner. So smoking I think really gets in the way of me wanting to live longer so I want to quit it. So far, I do not feel any urge or weird sensations, but I guess 3 weeks of not smoking is still too early to tell if anything is changing.  I really hope that this time around I succeed in quitting this infernal habit. I never really even liked smoking, to tell you the truth. Sometimes it burns my throat and I get headaches when I smoke too much. I don’t really understand why I even stuck with it. Maybe it’s the feeling after eating a hefty meal and then going out to smoke or the feeling smoking gives when you are stressed out and a good smoke can lessen the burden somehow. But I guess these feelings are psychological in a way. I just have to learn to let go of those pre perceived smoking feelings and I think I can finally be free.

The Tingling Never Leaves Me

Whenever I read an article that has the words “Follow your dreams” or something similar to that phrase, my spine actually tingles. It’s as if I feel those words meaning directly being absorbed by my whole being. I feel as if those words were directly spoken to me and as if those words will forever haunt me if I did not take it seriously. The truth is I have no concrete plan really, about what I want to do in the future. I guess I want to have some sort of success. Like, I want to be able to do something I love and be paid while doing it. In the simplest sense, I want to not worry about anything. I want to travel whenever I feel a calling for it. I want to go to my friends house which would probably be a three to four hour drive without worrying about the amount of time and resources the travel would require for me to get there. I want to spontaneously give gifts to complete strangers and not feel that they have to pay me back for that one act of kindness.

Do I have to have a concrete plan to accomplish this particular dream? I know the answer is definitely yes. But at age 28, I feel like time is running away from me. Yes, I have some sort of plan, but I still feel uneasy at times. Like I can’t wait to do something different and finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief because I am finally doing something that would lead me closer to that dream. I feel like a fish right now flailing around at shore, gasping for water, trying to find some sort of lifeline. But I know many would consider that being 28 is still young enough. But for me, it’s not. Being 28 makes me sit down and contemplate the future.

It’s just that, I can’t wait for that moment. That moment where every locked door becomes unlock and my path is so clear and bright that it hurts to look at it. I know I should be patient and that patience is a virtue. But I actually get scared everyday. But yes, I do know that, even if I’m scared and can’t wait to get there, all I can do is trust myself and be patient because it’s all I can ever really do right now.

Follow your dreams. The tingling never leaves me. So even if it’s the last thing I do, I will follow my dreams. I might not be any closer today to that dream, but my bones keep telling me to keep at it, so I will.