It's been a month since classes started. The teaching task is manageable. My office work is a different story. The tasks are getting stronger. One task down, there will be another set of tasks to come. It feels as if I'm not accomplishing anything. While I appreciate the privilege and safety of working from home, I feel that my productivity is not getting better. I feel disappointed and frustrated.

Last week, I physically reported for work and attended a number of remote meetings. I felt sad. At some point, I wanted to cry. A few hours ago, I checked my personal email and overlooked another payable. It's not a good idea to visit the bank every Monday. I miss those days when I can easily attend on errands after work. If there's anything that can make the next week better, it's to finally tick off at least half of my deliverables.
 
On top of my struggling productivity, I also received a sad news. A former student passed away. Some of you probably recognize the popular humor vlogger, Lloyd Cadena. I always consider Lloyd as the pioneer in Filipino vlogging. He set the direction in humor content. I saw how other vloggers followed his style, including showbiz personalities. More importantly, I admire his generosity and humble beginnings. He never failed to share this blessings and even empowered fellow starting vloggers. 

There was a time when Lloyd was criticized by some professionals in the construction industry. Instead of blaming the contractor, who caused the defective staircase in his new home, Lloyd remained discreet. Unfortunately, some architects and engineers returned the blame on Lloyd. I made a mental note of these professionals. As it appears, they used Lloyd's case to emphasize they know better. Sigh, I hope they realize that sometimes, compassion to a cheated client is way better. 

Still about vlogging, I don't have intentions to venture on this field. Haha I've been meaning to compile my observations. I hope I'll find the time to prepare a post on deconstructing the Filipino vloggers.  


In other news, this is an area where I excel. Spending and shopping on days when I feel like I'm a huge mess.

Recent purchase include these aromatherapy oil from Ilog Maria Honey Bee Farm. As much as I'd like to try Young Living or Dottera's essential oil, the price point are way above my budget. If you don't care much about the health benefits, I suggest buying these cheaper oils from Ilog Maria. These are all natural, locally produced and offer same refreshing scent. I place drops of oil in my humidifier after cleaning the room, before going to sleep or while enjoying a Netflix film. 


Another source of spending :) 

I found my favorite homemade cookies from Kookee.ph. Thank you Jackie for linking me to Mikee. :) Unlike most people, I'm not a huge fan of chocolates. (Surprise!!!) Hence, those gooey double chocolate cookies don't appeal to me. I prefer cookies with some twist. In this case, I enjoyed the matcha, smores and triple c (chocolate cookies with espresso bits) cookies. Both the chocolate and matcha flavors are not overwhelming. The flavors are not too sweet.  More importantly, the size and taste are worth my money.

I hope I'll be a better employee next week. I'm looking forward to end the week feeling proud of my accomplishments. It's been a while since I last felt it.

Wishing everyone a great week ahead!