So tapos ko na yung book. Nalito pa ko kasi nakalagay dun sa Kindle 64% done pa lang ako tapos pag-flip ko ng page, Acknowledgements na. Super dami palang notes sa huli and references kaya akala medyo matagal ko pa matatapos.
Since madami na din akong nasabi about sa book na ‘to, meron pa kong mga extras na gustong idagdag na nabasa ko pa after kong matapos sulatin yung parts 1-4.
Nabanggit yung importance of solitude. I think kaya nya ‘to in-include kasi yung magta-try ng digital declutter, they could get bored and will find themselves reaching for their phones. And kaya may whole chapter about solitude is for us to realize siguro na sometimes, okay lang na walang gawin. Hindi mo kelangan i-fill yung every second of your life.
Regular doses of solitude, mixed in with our default mode of sociality, are necessary to flourish as a human being.
Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport
Nabanggit dito na solitude or being alone with your thoughts helps us regulate our emotions and process stuff. And medyo natawa and na-guilty din ako dito sa following quote:
Road test ko na next week sana makapasa akoooo. Since September, almost every week akong nagd-driving lessons. Magastos pero kelangan ko talaga kasi hindi ako natutong mag-drive sa Pinas. So sana makapasa talaga ako para no more additional gastos.
Pero kung hindi man ako makapasa, masaya pa din kasi marunong na talaga kong mag-drive! As in nakakaliko na ko, nakakapag-drive na ko sa highways, marunong na kong magpark with little assistance. Tinuruan din akong mag-parallel park pero more practice pa. Yun. Malalaman sa Nov 12 kung pasado ba ko.
Balita naman sa aking digital minimalism journey (complete review here), so far okay talaga ko. Hindi ako super nahihirapan mag-adjust. Nafi-feel ko yung JOMO (joy of missing out). Pag nahahapyawan ko yung red notifications, hindi ako nate-tempt i-check. Super konting temptation lang kasi out of habit pero kayang kaya. Hindi ako naaatat makita.
Too early to celebrate kasi 2 weeks pa lang pero in fairnezzz
And na-practice ko din yung sinabi dun sa book na mag-set ng schedule on when to use social media and almost 100% ko syang nasusunod. Nagka-deviation lang nung in-upload ko yung vlog ko kasi nag-post ako about it sa IG pero after kong i-post, hindi ko na tinignan kung may nag-like ba, sino na bang nakakita, etc. Ang layo ko na talaga sa mga dati kong gawi.
And since may sched na nga ako ng paggamit ko ng social media, sched ko ngayon na mag-check ng Messenger (every Friday PM and Sat AM) plus tawagan ang family ko. Ang Kuya, as always, mas nauuna syang tumawag pero after namin mag-usap, tinawagan ko si Tricia at Ate Beng2. Ang saya lang. Sarap makipagusap sa kanila ng hindi sa chat lang.
Bukas naman ng umaga ay time for my friends. Sasabihan ko ang isa sa kanila, kung sino mang available, na tumawag sakin. Kasi unlike family, nakakahiya na bigla na lang akong tumawag kasi baka busy sila. At least kung sila ang patawagin ko, ibig sabihin non available na talaga sila.
And kaya tawag kasi na-convince ako nung book (Digital Minimalism) na conversations (through calls, video calls, face to face) are better than connection (liking someone’s photo, short comments na same lang ng comments ng iba and chatting). So I will almost eliminate chatting and will stick to calling. I will also refrain from liking, commenting and reacting. And I believe it’s great advice.
I know, kung ako yung old self ko, iisipin ko, “Hassle. Bakit di na lang chat??” Eh sakin mas better na ang calls eh. Kung ayaw mo kong kausap eh di wag. Kung gusto mo kong kausap, magtawagan tayo. And yun na din yung point. Mas may effort ang conversations. It will show kung sino ba sa friends mo ang magbibigay ng effort na mag-make ng time and makipag-usap sayo. And yung nakalagay naman sa sched ko, at least once a month lang. It’s not as if every other day magta-try akong makipagtawagan. Sa families ko naman at least twice a month.
Kaya sobrang na-appreciate ko ngayon ang Kuya. Kasi ang Kuya, almost everyday yun tumatawag. Ngayon ko lang na-realize, nakaka-flatter na yung free time nya sa umaga, na pag tulog pa yung mag-iina nya, ako yung pinipili nyang kausap. Love you Kuya!! And si Tricia din, yung bunso naming kapatid, siguro mga 3-4x a month sya tumatawag and almost never ako yung nag-initiate sa mga tawag na ‘yon. Kaya kanina, ako naman yung nag-start. At kasama na din dun ang Mama, Papa at si Kim kasi magkakasama naman sila sa bahay. Saya lang sa feeling. This digital minimalism is working so well for me.
Random Pics:
Si Kenneth lang umubos 😂Eto naman sakin. Masarap naman pero nagsisi ako. Natakam lang ako.Ooohh fancySarap. Pero di ko sinunod recipe. Nag-dagdag ako ng asukal para sumarap.
Nung nag-start akong basahin ‘to, ang gusto ko lang talagang mangyari is mawala yung uncontrollable urge ko to always check my phone. Pero ang dami kong nakuha sa book na ‘to.
Sobrang necessary na diniscuss muna sa book lahat. It started with identifying the addictive behaviors, the reason behind it, and pano sya dapat i-approach which is yung strategies and principles. And eto na yung time para i-introduce naman yung concrete steps on how to start. From Paleolithic brains to economics, at this point, gets na gets ko na talaga. Parang hindi ko na kelangan ng further explanation. I’m sold!
Very important na maintindihan munang mabuti yung mga diniscuss before this para kapag gagawin ko na yung ‘digital declutter’, mas strong yung reason bakit ko ‘to ginagawa. Mas may conviction behind it. Which makes it more doable and sustainable.
Ang freeing nung phrase na you will “happily miss out on everything else.” Naalala ko yung pinakinggan ko na podcast medyo recently lang. First time ko narinig yung term na JOMO.
Replace FOMO with JOMO (Joy of Missing Out). When everybody is off drinking and making shallow conversations, you are actually doing something deep and meaningful that brings more value to yourself and maybe to other people as well.
The Minimalists Podcast [Episode 250.5]
Sobrang tinamaan ako dito. And hindi pa nakatulong na andito ko sa ibang bansa. Medyo na-lessen na rin naman simula nung nagkapandemic kasi nga ang dalang na lumabas ng mga tao.
Napapadalas ako dito sa blog ko kasi parang ang dami kong gustong i-kwento. Ang ibig sabihi ba non ay I’m living an interesting life kahit 95% of the time ay nakakulong lang ako sa bahay? Ang sayang isipin na hindi ako nabubulok kahit nandito lang kami lagi sa apartment.
So ang isa dun, nagcecelebrate pa din kami ng monthsaries
Alam kong madaming nakokornihan or pwede ring bitter lang sila kasi yung partner nila KJ. Pero ako natutuwa ako. And alam kong si Kenneth din. So nung last monthsary namin (9yrs and 6mos), bumili ako ng cronuts. Mga ganyang tipo ng pagcecelebrate lang naman. Mostly bibili lang ng masarap. Ang sarap nung ferrero cronut!!!
SARAP!
Ang since matagal na kami at lumipas na ang kilig at magic at ang mga grand gestures, somehow, nareremind kami na maging extra sweet pag monthsary namin. It’s a monthly reminder kung gano na kayo katagal and the fact na magkasama pa din kayo.
Shop news
Nakakatuwa nung araw na may dalwang umorder sa shop ko na ang total is $100. That’s a first. Sana araw araw ganun.
Thank you!
Going steady pa din naman ang online shop ko. May mga araw na walang orders may mga araw na sunod sunod. Pero hindi pa ko satisfied sa sales ko. Feeling ko may kailangan pa kong gawin.
Super improved na ng screentime ko
Ayokong pangunahan pero kitang kita ko yung improvement sa pag-gamit ko ng phone simula nung sinimulan kong basahin yung Digital Minimalism na book. Life changing talaga. From 7-9 hrs/day ko sa phone, naging 2-3 hrs na lang. Sobrang woah.
11:58PM yung screenshot so almost saktong 1 week
Pero nga, ayokong pangunahan. But I am hopeful na mapapanindigan ko ‘to.
All-time high nung TuesdayTapos bawing bawi nung Saturday. Amazing!
Random pics
Laser eyes 😂Struggling with this book: The Wind-Up Bird ChronicleSweetsicle. Picturan ko daw sila. One of my favorite Japan snacks! Available na sya sa Asian store 😍I have great lugaw memories ❤️Naisip ko lang bigla mag-watercolor 😊My recent digital drawingGandang tingnan. Tingin lang. Love you so much kittiesTried a new meal kitHappy 34th anniversary MaPa!Driving lessons todayParallel parkingNa-feel ko lang. Ganda ng kulay. Kaumay yung filling!!Our new throw pillow na nangangagat 😂Di ko alam kung bakit pero super love ko ‘tong shirt ko na ‘to from UniqloGood morningCute receptacles from GoodfoodFirst time to use black garlic. Manamis namis.Ordered some ready-to-blend smoothies. Nagustuhan ko ‘to hindi super tamis. Buti pa si Walnut lap cat paminsan minsan
This is our book club pick for October and kakatapos lang namin mag-discuss about it.
SUPER QUICK & TAMAD SUMMARY:
May serial killer sa town nila na pumapatay ng magagandang babae. Ang bida ay si Ellery na mahilig mag-play detective. Kasi feeling nya may connection yung pagkawala ng aunt nya from 20 years ago dun sa recent murders.
At first, kala ko super YA vibes. Yung typical highschool ganaps na ang annoying nung mga characters. Pero hindi naman sya naging heavy sa ganon kaya naging okay naman. Nag-focus talaga yung author sa suspense/mystery aspect which is good. Nag-enjoy ako manghula.
START OF SPOILERS
Naaasar ako kay Ellery kasi labas ng labas. Kita na nga na may killer on the loose. Although very typical yun sa mga horror movies, na parang nawawala sa tamang pagiisip yung character tapos lalabas pa din ng kwarto or ng bahay na as if ang tapang tapang nya.
Nafrustrate pa ko nung itutuloy pa din yung homecoming dance. Bakit itutuloy?? Bakit hindi sila nagiisip? Pero it turned out, wala naman nangyari. Pa-effect lang na feeling mo may mangyayaring masama nung araw na ‘yon.
And ang useless na lang din nung pagka-worry ko for Ellery kasi hindi naman sya yung target talaga nung killer. Si Brooke talaga (recent victim).
Sobrang dami kong napagbintangan na killer sa book na ‘to. Pero may tumama naman sa hula ko. Yung mga obvious suspects like Ryan and Vance or even Declan, inalis ko na sila sa list ko kasi ang dali naman kung sila na agad. Dumaplis sa isip ko na si Peter yung killer kasi dinescribe sya ni Ellery as, “good looking” and “charismatic”. So naisip ko, ah so mukang papasa ‘tong matandang ‘to sa mga teenage girls. So dun na-form yung theory ko na baka may secret relationship sila ni Lacey noon (the second victim).
Mga 85% into the book, naumay na ko manghula. Matatapos na wala pa ding hard clues. Pero shortly after, ni-reveal na din na si Peter na talaga.
So eto na nga yung ending. Yung last line na, “I thought she was your mother.” Super chillz! Yung akala mo tapos na kasi na-reveal na yung killer pero may twist pa sa huli.
My status updates sa Goodreads while reading the book 😆
RATING [3.5 🌟]
So dahil sa last line na ‘yon, imbis na 3 out of 5 stars yung ibibigay ko, nagi syang 3.5 stars. Walang lingering effect yung story for me. Yung tipong after ko basahin irerecall ko pa yung mga series of events? Hindi sya ganon for me. After ko matapos and ma-woah sa ending, okay na na ko.
Book club meeting
QUOTES
[I found this part sweet.] Your brother saved you, Nana had said. She was right. I just didn’t realize which one.
Our next book is The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton. Suspense/mystery ulit so I’m excited!
Heto na ang mga quotes and commentaries sa book na to. Self explanatory naman yung title so wala nang intro.
Huhu. So true.
In all honesty, naaapektohan talaga yung mood ko and sometimes hindi ko ma-pinpoint kung bakit. Sometimes obvious yung reason pero minsan basta naapektohan na lang ako. Parang nasisira na agad yung araw after ko magcheck ng iba-ibang social media apps.
CALL TO ACTION: Wag nang magcheck ng phone sa umaga. Do your morning routine first. Magtiklop ng kumot, maglinis ng litter box, pakainin ang mga kitties, load dishwasher, etc.
When I was a nursing student, we are required to read these thick, heavy medical books. We have to read a considerable amount of pages just for this one quiz. But, I actually find joy in summarizing them and taking note of the most important concepts. I also feel like retention is high when I take down notes.
This is what I felt when I started reading Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport. Only 1% into the book and already, I was like, “Yes, yes, YES!” And with that, I thought of taking some thorough notes which I can go back to whenever I need a reminder.
I am aware that I have a problem with the amount of time I spend on my phone. When I checked my screen time, my daily average usage is 7+ hours! I felt very disappointed with myself and a bit angry. It just means I’m losing control of my time.
Hayzz
So when I picked up this book and read a couple of pages, I felt extremely relieved. There is hope! I feel like this book is going to save me from my compulsive internet use. I am usually pessimistic about self help books because I tend to just follow the advice in the beginning then go back to my old bad habits after a few weeks or days. But this time it’s different. I’d like to think that it’s different this time. I am diving into this with an optimistic mindset. I don’t want to be enslaved by this technology forever.
I’m so excited to reread the introduction part of the book and take note of everything that speaks to me. I’ll do it in a separate post and link it here:
I’m not the biggest fan but I watched the BLACKPINK docu because it seemed really interesting. The question that came to mind after watching it was, “What is your goal and how badly do you want it?” It made me realize that I am doing very little to reach my goal and made me question myself. How badly do I want it? The docu is good btw.
So how badly do I want to be a great artist? Not as much? Is that why I’m not doing the best I can? Is it because I don’t really want it that bad? Is that fine? Am I lacking passion? Is it okay to not be so passionate about something? Is it because we can get by even if I’m unemployed? So is that the reason why I don’t put much effort because nothing is at stake? That is possible.
I enjoy doing art, sure. But when I feel pressured because I’m not as good as the artists that I look up to, it’s not so fun anymore. Maybe I’m just not the type of person who works well under pressure. But sometimes, without that pressure, I tend to relax too much. Which isn’t good also. So the answer is? BALANCE.
Gusto ko talaga yung mga ganitong moments na tanong ko sagot ko. Galing ko talaga mag-advice. Sana naman i-follow ko.
Gleniz da Menace 