mind – The Diary of The Deranged Writer

Notes to Self XXI

Of all the 14 Days of The Deranged Writer birthday blogging marathons I have done since the beginning of The Diary, the 2025 edition (this year) is the most memorable in terms of content quality. For 14 straight days, I wrote four acrostic poems (one of them is related and dedicated to The Undertaker), five music-related posts, one essay about a once-haunting day, one Notes to Self post, and only three Minute Warning posts. Only three. I have reached an incredible feat.

Speaking of Notes to Self, after blogging for two weeks straight, I realized something worthy of a Notes to Self post. It’s about freedom of expression, and the responsibilities that come with it.

Notes to Self XX

I’m so excited for my birthday next week. (That’s December 5, for those who are asking.) And yes, my birthdays since 2020 have been lovely, but after all the joyful moments this 2025, I have never been beyond-cloud-nine excited for my birthday in years.

And on this 20th Notes to Self, let me share a quote that proves why my 2025 has been the happiest year of my life yet. And this time, this quote comes from my mind.

30-Minute Warning XLII

Hello, Diary. What can I share here in under 30 minutes?

On the previous Minute Warning post, I wrote that many of my moments of 2025 have been happily memorable. After I wrote that post, I had more happy moments that happened in chilly Seoul. I had so many joyful moments there with my family… and there was a surreal yet happy point with someone. I have vaguely mentioned that on my previous Song of the Moment. Still, no Seoul trip details because I only have 30 minutes to write this post, Minute Warning posts don’t really have a proper flow, and, frankly speaking, I wanted to ramble on topics other than Seoul. For now.

Anyway, a few days after arriving home, there was a moment that led me to overthink with full force, and that spiked my anxiety levels. I wanted to elaborate on what was going on in my mind for people who were concerned for me… but I couldn’t. I had to deal with it alone. To solve this, I went to my safe space, sat in my favorite seat, drank some Earl Grey tea, and wrote more in my journal. Thankfully, that calmed me down, and I needed calm nerves for the next mission that would take place that weekend… a mission that would lead to happiness.

And then that calm turned into overexcitement, so I didn’t get proper sleep, and I ran on caffeine and adrenaline. But I completed my weekend mission, I accomplished everything on my checklist, and my heart and soul were on cloud nine after all that. (Though I admit that fragments of my heart and soul are still in Seoul because of someone.) Last weekend may be one of my happiest ones ever.

So, there… that’s why I have not been writing in The Diary lately: I was that happy recently. But don’t worry. The 2025 edition of 14 Days of The Deranged Writer will start this Saturday, November 22 (The Undertaker’s 35th anniversary, take note!), and I will blog for 14 days straight until December 5, my birthday. I’m pretty stoked about that!

And my 30 minutes are up. See you in the next post.

Header image: Alexandro David of Pexels. Edited in Adobe Photoshop 2025.

Updated November 19, 2025.