20-Minute Warning III

Start time: 6:18pm.

I’ve gotten used to observing the Monday ritual for months, and not even rain can stop me. (Unless flooding stops me from stepping an inch away from my home.) And tonight, as usual, I didn’t skip the ritual—affogato, Novamachina, and all.

Before that, though, I needed to buy acne toner for my face. A few years back, during one of my mentally roughest periods, I also had the worst breakout. I was proud of being pimple-free before that, and the breakout didn’t help my mental health at all. But because I was also a stubborn piece of work, I continued my skincare routine, hoping that it would work over time. It took some convincing from my Younger Brother and feeling awful while looking in our 20-year-old mirror for me to finally ask the dermatologist for help, and she gave me the best arsenal against those pesky pimples that I still use to this day. Nowadays, when my face is attacked by the occasional zit, I just sparingly use the benzoyl peroxide lotion, while I regularly use the rest—acne toner included. Thank goodness for my dermatologist; she is heaven-sent.

Moving on, I’m back at Oversight with my favorite affogato in the whole world, and I’ve been contemplating one of my plans for December. As of now, a part of that plan is truly feasible, but the rest seems like a long shot. Unfortunately, sometimes things don’t go according to plan… but like I said, I’m a stubborn piece of work, so I will work around the feasible part of the plan. Sometimes, we just have to play with the cards we’re dealt.

I only have one minute left, and frankly, I’d like to work on a few drafts, so this is it for now. See you in the next post.

End time: 6:37pm.


Header image: Raka Miftah.

30-Minute Warning XLIV

I’ve been recovering from the emotionally heaviest week of 2026 by far, so I’ll refrain from pressuring myself to publish a lengthy post tonight. What I can do tonight is share today’s happenings in under 30 minutes.

Like I said, I had an emotionally heavy week, but last night, it ended with a warm, honest conversation and a gigantic mason jar filled with large ice cubes and a refreshing Coke Zero. That made me sleep heavenly (even if I drank something cold and caffeinated), and I feel refreshed when I woke up today.

As for work, today’s stress was tolerable. I wrote proposals like a machine, I politely responded to troubleshooting reports, and I dispatched technicians for the aforementioned troubleshooting. After that, and running an errand, the workday ended early, so I went to Oversight early to observe my Monday ritual.

Speaking of Monday rituals, last week was so awful that even two visits to Oversight didn’t do the trick. Sometimes, habits that protect and ground me don’t work at all if the darkness is overwhelming. But I’m glad my family and a friend helped me through that period, and now I’m back to my safe space feeling lighter.

And now, another light from last week. Last Friday, April 24, my favorite band in the whole world, Foo Fighters, released their twelfth studio album, Your Favorite Toy. If I could write a lengthy album review, I would. But tonight, I’d like to relax more with my favorite affogato. Yet, here’s my short review: I’m elated that the Foo Fighters are back to being loud with the residue of post-Wasting Light albums’ experimental styles. I will make an in-depth album review when I feel 141 2/3% better.

But honestly, if I were to reach Steiner Math levels of wellness again soon, the album review would not be the first long post I would work on. I will talk more about the album’s antepenultimate track, “Child Actor”. Honestly, I didn’t expect the song to be a reminder of many recently depressing things at once, and since I listened to it during an already-dark week, it reduced me to tears. It became the soundtrack of last weekend for me, and I still can’t get enough of hearing it on loop (even as I type this).

Won’t you
Turn the cameras off
Turn the cameras off
Turn the cameras off
Turn the cameras off
Turn the cameras off
Turn the cameras off

Foo Fighters’ “Child Actor”

And my 30 minutes are up. Thank you for reading. See you in the next post, and have a nice week!


Header image: Raul Ling of Pexels. Edited in Adobe Photoshop 2025.

10-Minute Warning CXCIII

Tonight, I really don’t want to write another Minute Warning post; I’m supposed to publish a new Watch post. The upcoming post is about a famous YouTube video related to my hero, Dave Grohl. But when I was drafting, I got a message from someone I met recently, and I must admit: getting messages from her is the highlight of my day.

Pardon me, my readers… oh, right. Pardon me, my only reader. Thanks to her, this Minute Warning post is all you get tonight. But at least my shadow heart is feeling a different kind of light, a comforting kind of light. And trust me on this: that’s something I haven’t felt in a long time.

Anyway, about my birthday plans: it’s exactly a week to go before my special day, and finally I have the day planned out! I’m going to my favorite cafe, and plan the next year ahead by writing in my new Moleskine daily planner. I will also have lunch there, plus I will drink my favorite affogato in the whole world. After that, I might look for a Blokees Deadpool figure at the nearest toy store. (Though I’m not sure if I’ll buy one.) And in the main event, I will meet my family and two of my closest friends at a modern Filipino restaurant, and we will have a glorious feast. (Take note: the restaurant is Michelin-certified.)

My ten minutes are not up yet, but that’s all I can say for now. See you in the next post, and happy weekend!

Ω


A part of 14 Days of The Deranged Writer (2025).

Header image: Suvan Chowdhury of Pexels. Edited in Adobe Photoshop 2025.

Updated November 29, 2025.