What happened, 2020?

What? 2020 is ending?!

Is there even a year 2020? 

Too many things happened in this year. I still cannot believe that in few hours, the year will change again.

It felt like I just woke up and it is 2021 already. 

2020 will be year of triumphs, answered prayers and realizations. 

These are what I claimed for this year from my January 2020 blog.

• Triumphs & Answered Prayers - Not too much on this, I am thankful I still have work and I am safe and healthy.
• Realizations - This is 100%! I agree with this. Too many realizations and learnings happened to me, to everyone this year!

I am very hopeful of what’s going to happen. 

We have to take care more of our HEALTH! 

And good thing, one big goal I have is to take care of health which is vital in today's situation.
I'm glad that I did not fully adjust on the situation because I was somewhat prepared of it. 
I love staying at home, I am working from home before anyone else. Sometimes, I love being by myself haha! I'm always online - business and shopping before all the happenings. Thank You Lord for all these preparations. 

Here are the rundowns of 2020 to me:

Myself
- Glad that I was able to reach my life goal (to travel at least 1 new country per year) even if there is COVID. I was able to travel to one of my dream destinations which is South Korea. 
- I became a vlogger! I decided to pursue this new thing with push from my family haha! I don't regret it as I don't only look back on photos (from my phone and FB/IG) and words (through this blog) but also I remember my life events through videos now. It takes lots of hard work and time but I know it was good "hobby" :)
- Kpop / Kdrama super fan? HAHA! Well, more on kpop. I had more time to chill and open my netflix, enjoying kdramas haha! Yes, I purchased Netflix and even tried Youtube premium haha! 
- I had more staycations this year since it is the "safest" thing to do if I want to unwind and feel like travelling. 
- I gained weight :( Need to lose some kg for next year haha!
- I spent most of my time online - from work, personal to business (sad that our main IG business account was disabled, though). I even shop groceries online.

Family
- Sadly, the last time I went home was January 2020. I see to it that I go home twice a year esp. spending the holidays in Philippines. 
- My parents stayed in Australia for 4-5 months during the lockdown and it is a good thing. They came back to Philippines safely.
- I had two inaanak (finally!! haha) from my Kuya & Ate and they are all cute baby boys! TYL!

Partner
- We had a new baby - a british shorthair cat Leo! I was glad that he became our source of happiness and one of the reasons why Levi visits me at home :) It became our bonding! 
- Nothing spectacular actually, no next level yet. I am not expecting but still hoping.

Work
- Thankfully, I still have work. I believe I was one of those who had salaries cut down earlier (around March I think) to 75%. I was so sad that time but realized that it was a common thing for companies to stay alive. 
- I experienced losing colleagues and here I am still kicking. I have to work hard to make them feel me working and good thing, I did. I need to be more proactive for next year. 

God
- I am still able to serve since I am a Media Ministry head and our gathering is now online meaning I was one of those behind the online Feasts and also designing and posting on social media channels. I just hope I will able to continue.
- After months/years of not seeing each other, I'm glad I was able to catch up with my LG this December. Half of us are now married! So happy! Our ultimate tagline is "Trust in God's perfect timing" because this really happened to each of us (work as for me!)

Come to think of it, my 2020 was a chill yet productive one. 
I have so many plates before covid, many can relate.
It was time to pause and appreciate what I have. 

Few hours to go and it is the new year.
This is only the second time I am spending the New Year's eve here in Dubai.
I'm not too excited because we have to be extra careful and do social distancing.
I just want to see the fireworks in Burj Khalifa on a closer look.

Happy New Year everyone!

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay happy! 

Unbelievable

 We are now in the last month of 2020. 

Few weeks and it is a new year. WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

It was so fast - our Kyrgyzstan and Thailand trips were 1 year ago already? 

I was shocked, super. It felt like 2020 was skipped. 

It was a pause year in general. 

Thankfully, all of us are healthy and safe. 

Here in Dubai, I was able to go out - just make sure to wear face mask.

Though mostly, I'm just at home. Really, I can live without going out for weeks.

I think the longest time I was just at home was 2 weeks straight haha. I miss going out and roaming the mall. Now, I'm just browsing online if I want to shop and buy groceries. Everything is now online.

Good thing, I was able to go out with my friends and we went to Sheraton Hotel in Mall of Emirates.

It was nice and felt like we are "travelling".

Next week is Christmas and I am here. Yes, I won't go home in the Philippines this holiday. Need to choose to be happy and enjoy the holidays (more on virtually). I don't have any big plans yet even buying of gifts is cramming! I don't feel it honestly. Hopefully it will be an enjoyable and fruitful one. 

It was a nice feeling also to share blessings and we were able to continue our annual giving of Noche Buena packages to the community. 

God bless us all, keep safe! 

Next Step

Hey guys, musta na? 

As I told you on my previous blog, see you in a month which happened hahaha! 

How’s life? Thankful, all of us are healthy. 

I am still in this foreign land and fortunately, still surviving. 

I have many thoughts in my mind right now that’s why I visited here. 

So many questions and so many plans - in the end, I was not able to answer and do them. 

One thing’s for sure, I’m excited for the things to happen. I know it will be worth it. 

So vague right?

I just want to let this feeling out. 

I am not that happy though I am not sad.

I want to know the next step, how to get there. 

I cannot wait to find out.

#3FIERCEst

Rawr! Hahahaha! 

My age is about to get out of the calendar. 

You met me when I was 15, and 16 years later, I’m still here (though not that active anymore). 

How am I? Thankfully, I’m still alive & kickin’! Haha! 

My partner of 13 years and I celebrated our anniversary with our baby, Leo the cat hihi!

It was cute that he gave me a gift not for me, but for Leo! Thank you Honey! We celebrated it with japanese cuisine! :) Thank you for giving me love and my fave stargazers! 

Then came October, my birthday month! 

I was so happy that Treasure & Blackpink are there to keep me sane and enjoy my days at home haha! I feel productive lurking on their updates and content. So this is what a kpop fan is! 

I received my albums - watch my unboxing videos here:

GIVEAWAY! TREASURE - 2nd Single Album [THE FIRST STEP : CHAPTER TWO] Unboxing (Black & White Ver)
https://youtu.be/mtyu72q8dCQ

BLACKPINK THE ALBUM Unboxing - 1st Full Album Version 3 & 4
https://youtu.be/ctYKIrwWQQ0

Gosh. I am enjoying this! I am thinking of having a space / cabinet with all these treasures! I remember collecting for my anime addiction wayback elementary and now I am doing it. 

As they say, what you do or interests in the past are things you will do in the present/future! 

Then finally, I saw my sister after 10 months as I celebrated my 31st birthday haha! 

Together with ‘Mr. Leo’ and my Leo, we ate in a pet friendly restaurant in Dubai - The Social Company in Zabeel House The Greens and stayed in another pet friendly hotel in JBR - Delta Hotels. Shared our experience here:

PET FRIENDLY RESTAURANT & HOTEL in Dubai - My one of a kind Birthday Celebration
https://youtu.be/AkvQ2wTygTQ

I hope some will take this video helpful if they want to celebrate outside with their furry friend! :) 

What else? Actually I’m just staying at home most of the time. Yeah, I’m going out if I have a date which is like once in a week or two weeks (imagine!). I’m a homebody and I’m loving it. The “tita” in me is appearing haha! 

Hope you are all healthy and happy.

If you will ask what I wished in my birthday vlog, it is too personal and I guess that’s the only thing I really want these days. 

Love you, and see you again! (In a month perhaps?) hahaha! 

My Heart is Full

 That awkward moment when the time I have SO MUCH to tell was the time I was in hiatus here.

My August was so full - from my personal to my kpop heart hahaha!! 

Two of my most bias - Blackpink & Treasure have new music - so imagine my happiness.

It was my first time to buy KPOP albums and I can't believe it is for the YG monster rookies - Treasure. 

I was so happy unboxing it, you can watch it here together with my first BP single album 'How You Like That'. 

TREASURE - Single Album Vol.1 [THE FIRST STEP : CHAPTER ONE] Unboxing (Black & White Ver)

BLACKPINK UNBOXING - How You Like That [Special Edition]

It was just the beginning. I already preordered Blackpink's Full Album: The Album and I am freaking excited for them to arrive on my birthday month of October! YAY! And I am keen to buy the Chapter 2 album of Treasure. OMG so this is being a kpop stan hahaha!! I even participated in a virtual signing event in Zepeto for my Queens - HAHA! Wish next time it will be real.

Aside from my being currently obsessed in KPOP, I finally adopted a beloved cat - a british shorthair LEO. I documented the first interaction we had with him and also our preparation in adopting him. We have a baby! 

SHOPPING FOR OUR BABY - Adopting a Cat in Dubai

We love him so much. I love ginger cats because of my fave Maple Cat and I was fascinated and thought it was meant to be when his name is LEO - Levi is a leo sign. 

Speaking of, we celebrated the 30th birthday of Levi in a beautiful hotel Rove Downtown and watched movies in a cinema after a long time. 

HOTEL WITH CINEMA in Dubai - Rove Downtown

And another staycation now with our friends when we had holiday in a 5 star hotel! 

OCEAN VIEW STAY in Jumeirah Beach Residences Dubai

My heart is really FULL! I cannot ask for more. 

It may be small thing to others but for me, these small moments made a difference even if I am not together with my family. 

I always choose to smile and to be happy.

I am trying to be more positive and not thinking too much.

It is now September - ber month already! 

In few days, another milestone is happening and in next month, it will be my birthday.

Life is full of surprises - thank You Lord for this chance to live in Your creation. 

I am looking forward for more! :)

Online To-do's

I am very active online, since there is internet connection.

I don't know how I paid for my internet load wayback in high school just to chat in irc, or post in my HS forums or update here in my blog. If you will check my previous years, I was very active that everyday I have a new blog post haha.

But now, it is once per month, apologies for that. 

Less posts, and less photos because I have other platforms. 

I have been actively productive and VERY ONLINE in terms of everything. 

It's like my life is all online starting from my work which is purely online. 

It's been a year now working from home, online and I'm very thankful.

(Wish me luck tomorrow as I will have an appraisal meeting).

Speaking of, my bosses, colleagues and I always meet online via Zoom. 

Even my family, we often talk in Facebook Messenger and call via Zoom. 

I am also continuing with our online shops/e-commerce in our website and social media accounts (Facebook & Instagram), even in Lazada and Shopee. 

In terms of my personal life, I am a bit sharing my discoveries on my vlog. 

I mentioned it previously right, thankfully I am uploading weekly and hope I will be consistent haha! 

Feel free to subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/JennyNoynay/

And in my service, we are very much online now, doing Feasts at home. 

The ministry I am heading on which is the Media Ministry is a great part of this new change. 

I am happy that everything I lived for, experienced for years is what I am doing now. 

That's why this era is very much me - I don't have difficulties adjusting. 

It's like the new normal is a normal for me. 

Thank You Lord for these opportunities.

Hoping for the best, hoping for more happiness & next levels! 

Quiet Times

Wow. Days have passed so fast. We are halfway 2020 already. 

Last month, I was quiet here. I am sorry. 

Maybe I am busy watching Kdramas in Netflix or clips in Youtube or listening to Kpop songs. 

This situation we are currently experiencing made me pause with the hectic things I am doing at the same time. 

It made me (or us) pause in a while. AND IT IS ALL OKAY. 

It is okay to chill, to recharge, to do nothing. 

I am thankful, I still have my work (HEY HAPPY 1 YEAR TO ME working from home!).

These times I learned more about myself.

Being a more Introvert, this setup of working and living at home most of the times is a bliss. HAHA.

It's like I am made for this. Though the downside was I am gaining weight since the craving of eating anything I want is always there with no exercise of going out or walking.

Though, in my location, there is no restriction of going out. Just need to be extra careful. 

THE NEW NORMAL GET UP - mask + gloves. 

It's all fine as long as we are healthy. I am healthy. 

I am drinking Sante Barley everyday, twice-thrice daily to strengthen my immune system.

These times, health and wellness is the most important.

Everything is connected. We can separate the needs and wants, the necessities and decorations. 

The core thing to focus is improving our inner self - mental, physical, spiritual and financial. ACTUALLY EVERYTHING about ourselves we need to focus on. 

And I am thankful to my past self, as always, for what I did in the past was the result of my present. 

Therefore, I need to do better in the present to secure my future. 

I can do this. We can do this.

Stay healthy. Stay indoor. Stay happy. 

Six

Six years ago, I hopped in a plane all by myself - full of excitement and worries.
Six years ago, I left everything I have in Philippines and went to Dubai, UAE for new beginnings.

After all these years, I never celebrate my anniversaries staying here. Why you may ask?
Because most of my 6 years here were challenging. They were not "happy" years. Most I don't want to remember but I don't have regrets as they made me stronger. It is true.

It changed when I had my current employer which I dreamt of!
Working from home, cool bosses, working on my own pace - in 2 months, it will be my HAPPY 1st year to them!

My life here is 80% work time that's why it is a big deal once I had a more positive and brighter workplace.

I still don't celebrate my anniversary but I am grateful with my decision moving and living here.

I travelled many new countries and explored.
I've eaten cuisines and celebrated life.
I've experienced many things and they widen my perspectives.

There are many things I want and need to do.
There are many next levels I want to go to.

I can't wait to experience them.
This level is my stepping stone.
Though, I haven't done anything to go up (or I thought so).

I am thankful that I am still living and blessed with all these opportunities.
I tried to leave (3 times to exact), but I am still here.

As they say, if you are meant to be here, you will be here.
Thank You Lord for always being with me. It may not be smooth sailing but I know I am more blessed because I have You Lord.

Life is not perfect. Life is unfair.
The only way to live happily is accepting it and living life with purpose.

I plan to just stay for maximum of 4 years, still here I am on my 6th year.
If you will ask me, how long will I stay? I actually waiting, I've still not woken up.
I'm a person who plan, but this time, I am waiting for someone to plan with me.
I just don't know when but I'm hoping. I'm not getting younger.

Praying for it. Praying for good health and peace of mind to push through.
I can do this. We can do this.

Pause.

With the things happening in the world, everyone is now staying at home.

In contrary to my previous posts, now I pause.
Less things to do, less places to go, more time to relax, more time to think things over.

I am not that productive anymore, but it is okay.
I am still blessed with my work (even if I had a pay cut but less working day).
I am still blessed with my family - we are healthy and alive.
I am still blessed with my life.

In our simple ways, we helped and supported those in need.
I felt good to be able to help and share also information for other to be aware.

Many plans have been postponed and cancelled.
I am praying for better situation in the world.
I am praying for things to be normal again.

It will come, in God's timing.

Stay at home. Get well, everyone!

Too Many Plates

What I meant in my title?
Currently, I am simultaneously doing things - work, vlogging, business, personal, Church activities and ofcourse, my ME time.

How do I do it?
I don't know as well, but I'm blessed to have a work that's flexible and I am happy working with.
I guess it really helped to pursue my other passions.

That's why I seldom update here - when blogging became vlogging.
It is like 100x haha, kidding! It is like 10x of what I'm doing here.
I'm not complaining - I'm happy (so far).

There's so much things to share about..
I saw on Bro. Bo's Instagram post - there are two things you can give to others, depending on what's inside your heart - Garbage or Blessings.

I am choosing the Blessings. There's so much things life has to offer and I want my videos to help other in any way.
It's either you love or hate it. I will focus on those who appreciate.

Hope I will continue this 'new thing' I'm doing haha!
To finish what I started, well, to continue what I started.

How am I, if you will ask: I'm fine, sometimes tired ofcourse, but overall, life is good.
There were setbacks. I am excited on God's surprises for me!

Thank You Lord for everything. I love You!

#SeoulSistahs

FINALLY visited one of my dream destinations: SOUTH KOREA!

Grabe! It was short and sweet. I was with my #SeoulSistah, my Ate!
So many things happened before this trip, thank God we arrived safely.

It was winter when we went - first week of January.
We don't have actually a full itinerary. It is a mixture of culture, FOOD and shopping haha!

I was blessed that my sister is always game and this was the time I decided to try something new: Vlogging.

I've been writing here about my personal life since 2003, do the math.
16 years and counting of blogging, now I leveled up with the video.
This is not only words and photos - this is a full video! HAHA!

It was a challenge, but I am thankful of myself for doing it.
I know my future self will be happy to reminisce, not only on photos and words - but also in videos.

Watch my Korea vlogs LOL! Feel free to like the videos and subscribe to my channel! :D Though I know there's not much people visiting here as I don't promote this website :)

Winter in Korea | Foodtrip in Korea | Shopping in Korea

-----

Back to our trip, our first day was a (literally and figuratively) chill Hanbok + Myeongdong experience. We wore the Korean traditional Hanbok with our jackets outside haha!

Our favorite part was EATING authentic Korean cuisine! OMG. If I can have all the food (except the spicy ones), I will be extremely happy kiddo! HAHA

Then comes the shopping! Because my other sister Chu is an avid Korean skincare user, we always 'video call' her to know what she prefer and we will shop for her! It was really fun experience :) It felt like she was always with us the entire time.

Our second day was the highlight as we booked a whole day tour: Rail Bike + Nami Island + Petite France. Gosh, we were really tired by the end of the tour. Though that night, we went to Hongdae and got lost. Imagine our mood - tired feet and hungry! We ended up in Myeongdong.

Our third day was just going to Namsan Tower though we didn't fully utilize our time as it was raining. We also went to Namdaemun Market but there were less shops and people as the weather is not good. Though, happy to experience riding their trains, taxi, bus and cable car - all types of transportation.

As I told you, it was really short but fun! And I know this is not the last.
There were many requirements for the visa and it is worth to stay longer to maximize the visa.
Next time, I promise together with Japan! HAHA

Saranghae, Korea. It was a delight meeting you finally.
I hope to visit you soon with more time!

Hoping in 2020

New Year, New Decade! 

Many things and realizations will happen this 2020! 

2020 will be year of triumphs, answered prayers and realizations. 

I am very hopeful of what’s going to happen. 

We have to take care more of our HEALTH! 

I spent & invested a lot last year and hopefully, this year, I will continue to save & invest. Not only to track, but to budget and follow it! 

My priority is myself. I have so many prayers, hopes and I cannot wait for God to make it happen! I know 2020 is my lucky year than the previous years. 

Thank You Lord because I am still breathing. 

You give me opportunities to enjoy life. I surrender everything to You! 

I am excited and hopeful. I’m ready for the abundant blessings!!