10-Minute Warning CCII

Good grief. I didn’t expect to have an incredibly busy day at work, and my battery’s drained in the process. So, here’s a post written under ten minutes.

I’ve been working in the same job (in the family business) for three years and counting. In the first year, I’ve gotten used to the processes I learned. But when this year started, I thought I should improve those processes and even the company’s design materials. With those improvements, I made the processes fast and more efficient, and the materials sleeker and more professional. If ever I resign, at least I have a few legacies to leave behind.

But I couldn’t resign. Not yet, anyway. What I do need is another part-time graphic design job so I can push through the plans for the remainder of 2026. I’ve mentioned looking for such a job (and ranting about it) so many times here in The Diary, and I still haven’t found one that I can handle and perhaps juggle alongside my current one… which is frustrating. I’m considering making adjustments like searching for full-time jobs (even if I need to take a graveyard shift) while keeping my current one. I truly don’t want to, but with my situation now, I think I have to.

I feel fulfilled working for (and improving) the family business for many reasons. But I can’t gain financial security, financial freedom, and, more importantly, I can’t push through with my plans for this year if I only have one job. Quite frankly, the current job doesn’t pay well, and now that it’s almost half of the year, I feel like I’m running out of time. I seriously need to work harder (and smarter) and find another job soon.

Wish me luck, and see you in the next post.


Header image: Samer Daboul of Pexels. Edited in Adobe Photoshop 2025.

Affogato (An Acrostic Poem)

A delicious contradiction
Fresh espresso and ice cream
Fuel for the week ahead
Once I sip on it
God Mode: activated
All better possibilities can happen
Thanks to my favorite drink
Of bitterness and sweetness

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Song of the Moment XCIV: The Cranberries’ “Zombie”

I felt a bit anxious today, a Sunday, so I attended Mass on my own and I went to my favorite cafe to relax. I ordered the usual (and comforting) affogato and continued reading The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music, a book by my hero Dave Grohl. (Yes, I did say “my hero”, a reference to the Foo Fighters classic! Also, this is my second time reading the book, and I’m about to finish it by tomorrow.)

And for once, while I was reading, I didn’t listen to music through my phone. Tonight, I relied on the cafe’s vinyl player, and it played many songs from The Cranberries. The song that stood out for me is the iconic “Zombie”. It has been a long time since I heard “Zombie”, and hearing it brought me back to the time when cassette tapes were the norm and when the only source of stress for me was homework. Memories. And that’s why it’s my Song of the Moment.

The music video of The Cranberries’ “Zombie”.

Anyway, tomorrow is September 1. That means it’s the start of Christmas season in the Philippines. Exciting times!

See you in the next post!

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Header image: Suzy Hazelwood of Pexels. Edited in Adobe Photoshop 2025.

Updated on September 3, 2025.