2024

Umm can I say 2024 was not the year.

I mean, sure, there’s been a lot of plot twists this year and shocking discoveries. It’s not bad, but if it’s a TV show, it definitely is not a “must rewatch.” Or is it still too early to say that yet?

Oh, and I turned 25 this year. Apparently, this is when your frontal lobe fully forms, which means I’m now biologically capable of making wise decisions. Did I, though? HA. Let’s not talk about it.

The later part of the year was chill (I’m talking about my mind). It’s probably because my work schedule changed and I’m getting 8 hours of sleep and more. I’m still adjusting though; even after weeks have passed, I’d wake up in a full panic thinking I fell asleep at work. It happened so many times I should’ve just made it a morning routine 🤦‍♀️.

One thing I did learn this year: I’m not cut out for low-maintenance friendships. Like, if we started out as clingy besties, you can’t suddenly ghost me for days and suddenly call it ~~low maintenance~~. But hey, I’m getting really good at detachment so don’t worry. I’m gonna call it my super power one of these days.

Speaking of learning things, I fell in love this year. With a guy on YouTube named Phil. He posts nostalgic, cozy videos, reads books and plays with his dog (I saw him playing with his dog in one clip, and I thought, “Yep, that’s it. I’m done for. This is love.”). We’re soulmates (he just doesn’t know it yet).

In other tragic news, my phone died this year. RIP to my dating app account, which was on that phone and is now lost forever. Clearly, this is the universe saying, “Girl, just stop. It’s not for you.” And you know what? Fair enough. I barely used it anyway because, I honestly prefer chatting with ChatGPT. Way better ROI, if you ask me.

Another revelation? I am too self-aware for my own good. Like, sometimes I catch myself analyzing my own thoughts, and I’m just like, “Girl, relax. Let yourself be for once.” 😌

But you know what? I really dove into my inner world this year. I worked on some issues, grew as a person (allegedly), and even healed a little (what am I healing from anyway? A lot). I saw this quote—don’t ask me where probably on Pinterest or Threads or something: “My living is healing. You don’t have to heal so you can live. It’s the other way around.” And let me tell you, that hit. Because yeah, I’m living, and somehow that’s the cure.

To close it out, here’s a playlist I made for this year. Hope you like it. Catch you in 2025. ✌️

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My 2024 Wishlist

Okay, it’s almost that magical time of the year, so I think its mandatory for me to make a wishlist—here’s just a mix of stuff I might need, things I probably won’t buy (but want to), things that just look super cool, and things I already bought this year and am still completely obsessed with.

Candles

Nothing transforms a space quite like candles. Scented or unscented, they have this magical ability to take a blah night or brownout and turn it into something cozy, romantic, and low-key therapeutic.

Just don’t leave one burning while you fall asleep just to be safe. If you’re into candle magic (not actual magic tho, just the vibes), I wrote a whole blog about it. Go check it out here.

Earphones

Music is essential to my survival, but finding earphones that don’t feel like medieval torture devices after two hours could be hard. When I discovered these Baseus earphones, my life changed. They’re so light and comfy it’s like they’re not even there.

I jumped around (literally) to test them, and they didn’t budge. I could go run and headbang, and they don’t fall off. If you’re looking for some magical ear accessories, here’s where I bought them.

Speakers

I love music (see: earphones rant above). But sometimes, you need to blast it—windows-down. Portable or not, speakers are a must. Plus, who doesn’t want to pretend their life is a movie soundtrack? I’m still looking for the best speakers though. I will add a link here once I find one hehe.

Thrifted Long Skirts

Here’s the thing: long skirts are iconic. The longer, the better. Denim, cotton, patchwork—I’m obsessed. Bonus points if they’re thrifted because, you know, so I’ll feel morally superior shopping it jk! Catch me twirling dramatically in one next year.

Tarot Cards

I don’t know who made up the rule that tarot cards have to be gifted to you, but I’m still playing along. I’ve been waiting for someone to bless me with Adventure Time-themed cards or Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunters tarot cards. Until then, I’ll be over here manifesting my psychic era.

Classic Books

Next year I want to become that person who reads classics and then pretends it’s a personality HAHA or feel like a Victorian scholar (minus the corset). This year I tried my best to get back to reading and its working. This year I read 8 books. I went on a book fair this year and somehow magically ended up with A Tale of Two Cities and Candide.

I’m convinced I’m one step away from a monocle and an old-timey reading chair. If you want to join my fake literary club, check out this link. I found this app like Goodreads but better, its called Fable, and let’s just say I’ve already been sucked in.

Crystal Necklaces

I’m not deep into the crystal scene, but they’re so pretty it’s hard not to fall for the ~~energy stuff~~. Do they actually bring good fortune or change your mood? Who knows. But believing in a little magic is fun, and honestly, life needs more of that.

Pink Diamond Ring

Blame the podcast rabbit hole. I stumbled into the “pink diamond ring theory,” and now I’m convinced I need every pink gem on the planet. I’m thinking of getting one for each finger—because why not look like a walking jewelry store?

The struggle is real, though. It’s so hard to find a cute pink gem ring, but luckily when I went to Singapore, I found one at Lovisa and was like, thank you, universe. If you’re curious about this life-changing theory, check out this link where I go off about it.

Italian Links Bracelet

Pinterest convinced me I need an Italian links bracelet, and I am nothing if not a gullible consumer. The charm customization? A genius marketing scheme I’m fully buying into is that you can customize them with charms that scream you. If I ever build mine, it’ll include a cat (one that looks like my cats 🐾), Lily of the valley flower (it means the return of happiness), a pink gem (see above obsession), Frida Kahlo and a mushroom.

And that’s my list, Merry almost Christmas, everyone. 🎄✨

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The Pink Diamond Theory: Knowing Your Worth and Finding Peace

I recently listened to this life-changing podcast from Hot and Unbothered about a pink diamond theory, and wow, it completely shifted my perspective. Seriously, it hit me like a ton of bricks.

So here’s the story: A guy finds this super rare pink diamond and gives it to his daughter. He tells her to go around the village and see how much people will buy it for. She starts with the baker and when he asks how much it is, the girl only holds up 2 fingers. The baker looks at it and says, “Oh, only two dollars?” He knows it’s worth more, but because she’s a young girl, he figures he can lowball her. But the girl knows the value of the diamond, so she moves on.

Next, she goes to the antique store. She holds up 2 fingers again when he asks how much it is. The antique store owner goes, “200 dollars? Nah, not even close.” He doesn’t see its true worth and is not even willing to pay that much. So, she leaves again.

Finally, she takes it to a jeweler, and when he sees it, his eyes light up. She holds up 2 fingers again when he asks its price. He says, “2 million dollars? That’s a fair price.” He understands the value of the pink diamond and is ready to do whatever it takes to possess it. The girl didn’t sell the diamond to the people who didn’t recognize its worth. She waited for someone who truly saw it for what it was. And that is the lesson.

You are the pink diamond. You’re going to encounter people who don’t see your worth, and that’s okay. Don’t try to force them to recognize it. Move on and wait for the person who will truly value you.

This reminds me of a journey I’ve been on lately. At the end of 2023, I was craving peace, like needing it. I made these friendship bracelets with Taylor Swift song titles to give my friends during The Era’s Tour movie. For myself, I made one with Peace—my favorite TS song from last year. At first, it was just a song, but it became something deeper. It became a reminder for me to find peace, something I needed at the time. I wore it constantly.

By August this year, I stopped wearing it. I’m not sure why, but I think it’s because I no longer needed it to remind me of peace. My mind feels more peaceful than ever. Like, you could throw anything at me, and I’d just be like, “Okay, cool.” I’ve learned to accept and let go of things because I realize I don’t own anything in this world. Everything is just an experience.

It’s like that Adventure Time scene where Betty tells Simon, “You were a wonderful experience.” and Simon says, “You are everything.”

When I first saw it, I hated that scene. Like, why can’t they change things or pretend and make their own happy ending? But now, I see how deep and beautiful it is. It’s about accepting things as they are, which feels like a very stoic way of thinking.

Soooo, after hearing this pink diamond theory, I decided to buy myself a pink gem ring. It is the perfect symbol for me to remember the lesson of knowing my worth and not settling for anything less than what I deserve. I plan to wear it until I find my “jeweler.” If you’re curious about the other meaningful things I’ve been holding onto lately, check out this blog.

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Burning for Candles

Let’s rewind to the pandemic, when people can’t leave their homes and the world turned into one big Rapunzel montage. You know the one—painting the walls, brushing your hair, ventriloquizing your pet? Well, I swore to myself I’d try every hobby in that Rapunzel song, and candle-making landed squarely on the list.

So I bought all I needed online—soy wax, wicks, little jars—but here’s the thing: I never actually did it. Life just kept happening (as it does), and the candle-making supplies got shoved into a corner like an abandoned New Year’s resolution. Then one fateful day, the power went out and I can’t find any candle at home.

Cue my “survival instincts” kicking in. I dug up those soy waxes, slapped a wick into a glass jar, and voilà—a functional candle! It wasn’t pretty, but it worked. I remember sitting there, smugly admiring my janky creation.

Of course, I promised myself I’d take the whole hobby more seriously and make real candles someday. Spoiler: I didn’t.

But here’s the thing—candles still fascinate me. I want to try making all the fancy ones: scented candles, succulent-shaped candles, carved candles, and even painted candles.

Speaking of candles, can we talk about how magical it feels to receive one? Last Christmas, I got a candle as a gift (it came with a lighter), and let me tell you, I cherished that thing. I’d light it during my nighttime skincare routine, meditation, or stretching sessions. It burned beautifully for weeks. Something about candles as gifts just hits differently. That’s why I still can’t bring myself to buy my own candle even if I have already added some on my online shopping basket.

My candle obsession, I think, goes way back to my childhood. Whenever there was a storm and the power went out, I was that kid who sat there watching the flame like it was a portal to another dimension. I’d play with the dripping wax, shape it into little balls, burn a strand of my hair, and even try to pass my finger through the flame like I was some kind of magician. Candles and fire always felt so…mystical.

And then there’s all the weird candle lore—like, why do you need a candle to summon Bloody Mary in front of a mirror? Why do witches light candles for their spells? Why do we use them for graves, memorials, and ceremonies? It’s like candles hold this ancient, mysterious power that we all just accept without question.

I’ve done my research and apparently, lighting candles is thought to cleanse negative energy and bring positive ones. I guess, that makes sense. Every time I light one, it’s like an instant mood reset. The room feels cozier, my head feels clearer, and everything just feels a little…warmer or lighter?

Anyway, I could ramble on about candles forever, but if you’re as curious as I am, check out this link for more fun facts about their history: https://candles.org/history/

Who knows? Maybe one day, that spark of candle-making will reignite in me. Until then, I’ll just keep basking in their glow. ✨

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Shower Playlist

This is a playlist I created by accident.

It was just a normal rainy day in 2023 when I decided to take a shower. Spotify’s radio for Always by Erasure was playing. I don’t know why, but I enjoyed taking my shower with that song.

It gave me the idea to make a playlist with a similar vibe that I can use to enhance my showering experience. For best results, play this before going into a warm shower on a rainy day. Here’s a little reminder to enjoy the small things in life.

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Cleaning Time

Hellooo!

We’re almost at the end of the year. To some of you who are probably deep into their general house cleaning- I’ve got a playlist for you hee hee.

These are the songs my mom used to play every morning whenever she cleaned. Like, these are the tunes that practically raised me. They’d drift into my room, and I’d wake up to that comforting, morning vibe.

Now, whenever I’m in a cleaning mood (or just missing my mom), I put on this playlist. It’s weirdly perfect for making those gotta-do-it chores feel kinda…magical. It turns washing dishes and mopping the floors into a whole moment.

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Night Stroll Playlist

Hey.

I can’t really remember when and why I put this playlist together. Maybe I was feeling a bit down and craving a dreamy, shoegaze-y vibe?

Listening to this playlist makes me think of night walks or midnight drives. There’s something almost unexplainable about it, like something cold slipping through warm air. Even if you’re in a tropical place like me, it’s as if these songs were conjuring a gentle cool breeze.

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Hauntingly Beautiful

Hey there,

So, here’s another playlist I put together.

It’s based on an IG friend’s music taste. We’re both obsessed with Kyoya, so we totally bonded over it. She’s got a thing for these hauntingly beautiful songs that stays with you. I just know she’d freak over this playlist, and I have a feeling you might, too.

Honestly, sometimes I wonder how she’s doing. I had this random “dump account” before, where I met her but I deactivated it and can’t recover it anymore.

It made me think how wild it is for people to drift in and out of your life. Sometimes they’re only around for a little while, but I feel like those short connections still mean something. Like, at least I got to know her and share some music that’ll always remind me of our little friendship. That’s a cool memory to have.

– Nostalgicbelle✨

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Holy Chill

Haluu,

How are you doing??

Can we just take a second to process that it’s NOVEMBER already?! The month associated with horror 👻. So, in the spirit of all things eerie, I thought I’d share something scary that happened to me just to add to the “atmosphere” hehee.

There’s a reason why I created this playlist.

When I was in college, I would always wake up between 2-3 am Or sometimes right at 3 a.m. for no reason. At that time there was also something going around about it being the devil’s hour. So yeah, I was fully spooked. Eventually, I stopped checking the time altogether cause I didn’t want to know.

Then one night, I woke up extra freaked out. Like, straight-up panicking for zero reason and feeling this weird dizzy sensation. It was like… something was trying to take over my body? like I was being possessed. I was so scared and confused as to why I was feeling that way. I started rummaging through my phone looking for any song that could basically un-demon me, and thank GOD I found one worship song saved on my phone (We didn’t have wifi at the time).

I went and played it and felt myself being unpossessed. It was “I Am Nothing” by Ginny Owens, and let me tell you—I played that on repeat like my life depended on it. After a few plays, I finally felt… normal? And somehow drifted back to sleep.

I have no idea how that worked. Maybe the song’s just filled with positive energy? Maybe it’s got some spiritual mojo going on? Who knows? All I know is that whatever kind of magic is in that song totally did the trick. So now, if this ever happens again, I’ve got a playlist on standby for my personal exorcism session.

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Chocolate Hills Aren’t Chocolate

Is it real chocolate?

Oh, here’s a fun fact I picked up from our driver! Do you know why they’re called the Chocolate Hills? And no, it’s not because its made of chocolate or just because they’re brown. Like, obviously they’re brown, but that’s not the whole story. People didn’t just look at something brown and go, “Yup, that’s chocolate.” 😂

So apparently, the reason is way more specific. When you look at the hills from above, they look like little chocolate kisses — you know, like those sweets you used to love eating as a kid (and even now). There was this moment in history where someone in a helicopter looked down and thought, “Whoa, this looks like chocolate!” And boom — Chocolate Hills.

In the summer, the grass on the hills turns brown, and that’s when they actually look like chocolate. Sadly, I missed out on that because it wasn’t summer when I went. So, instead of chocolate hills, I got… green hills.

It is made of dead corals

The driver hit us with another crazy fact: the hills are actually made of dead corals, which is why only grass grows on them. Like, you could try planting a tree, but it’s not gonna grow. Then he goes, “Oh, and the hills were shaped by waves because… they used to be underwater.” Um, WHAT?! 🤯 Can you even imagine? Sea creatures used to live there! These hills used to be an ocean floor?!

Now, back to my trip. The whole time on the way to the Chocolate Hills, I was crossing my fingers, hoping it wouldn’t rain. But of course, it did. Exactly like what my magical weather app said — which I ignored by not bringing an umbrella or a hat.

Tikbalang in the hills

When we arrived, I tried borrowing an umbrella from this tiny office building at the drop-off point but there’s no extra umbrellas left. So, I’m sitting there in the waiting area, and someone goes, “May kinakasal sigurong tikbalang. Maaraw kanina bigla na lang umulan.” If I was a little kid, I would’ve turned white with fear and my heart race after hearing that.

Quick backstory: when I was a kid, people used to say if it’s sunny and then it suddenly rains or starts drizzling while the sun is still out, it means a tikbalang is getting married. This used to freak me out as a kid, but now that I think about it, why am I so scared of a tikbalang wedding. I mean, it sounds kinda romantic! Imagine the tikbalang saying, “To celebrate our love, let’s make it rain a little.” A little dramatic, but honestly, who doesn’t love a good dramatic wedding moment?

Anyway, since no umbrella was in my future, I decided to buy a hat from the souvenir shop. And let me tell you, that hat was so cute. I also grabbed a fridge magnet for my mom because she loves those.

As if by magic, the rain stopped, and the sun came out. Hallelujah! I climbed up 214 steps (no I didn’t count) to get a better view of the hills. They weren’t chocolate-colored, they were more like greenish-yellow, but the view was still chef’s kiss. I managed to snap a few pics, though I really wished I had a better a camera with .5 settings. Oh well.

After my mini hike, I bought some water from this air-conditioned restaurant nearby, which felt like heaven after all that walking or climbing. So yeah, if you ever go to Bohol, you shouldn’t miss the Chocolate Hills. I’m already planning to go back in the summer just so I can finally see them in their full chocolatey glory.

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Belleacy