The DJ who's not a DeeJay

Toy photography has become a popular hobby among toy collectors. It's a way to show off your collection, and it's also a lot of fun. Taking photos of your toys can be a great way to enhance your joy as a collector.

Taking Photos of Toys For Fun

Toy photography has been around since the early days of film photography, with early enthusiasts using their toys to create scenes and stories. Today, toy photography has evolved into a popular art form, with enthusiasts using creative techniques to capture images of their toys.

Toy photography can be a fun and creative way to enhance your enjoyment of your toy collection. It can also be a great way to meet other like-minded people and share your passion for toys. 

In 2020, the pandemic forced most of us to stay home in lieu of lockdowns and avoid public places. The new norm forced a lot of daily dynamics to change, including clothes.

Fast forward to 2022. Most of my clothes have either been in boxes or on hangers for the longest time. And the clothes that are in heavy rotation are my home clothes. Some of them are getting worn out. But I just realized what I wore every day during the pandemic: my slippers.

And after over 3 years of using my slippers at home, even before the pandemic began, they finally gave out last month. My most comfy pair of slippers has made its last step.

It took me a while to find a replacement of the same brand or a similar design, but I finally found one. It’s not as soft as my old pair and it needs some training because the strap keeps on twisting. In time, it will know my steps as much as Google knows my location.

It is also comforting to know that my new pair of slippers can endure the toughest mountain trails, the steepest climbs, and the most extreme conditions. But the reality is that it won't leave home for its entire lifespan. So much for adventure. But I will wear you every day with love.

Walk onwards.

(Note: I actually bought thee pairs cause it was on sale.)

You run the risk of infecting others with a viral infection whether you have COVID or not. So, the best way to stop it from spreading is to isolate yourself.

Isolating in a bedroom for a few days is bearable if you have your bare necessities. For longer periods of isolation, you may find yourself wishing you had more things in your room. You're essentially making your bedroom into a smaller version of your living space, so for the upcoming few days, your room will serve as your primary residence.

In situations where you must immediately isolate yourself, it is best to identify a room in your home and arrange items there in advance so that you don't have to worry about them and can reduce contact with your family.

To minimize risks, you should have a one-way policy. Whatever goes inside the room stays inside the room. That’s why it’s essential that you have items readily available.

Based on my experience, here are some items you’ll find handy if you have them readily available.

1. Plates and utensils. - You don’t need your entire kitchen in your room, but having your own fork, spoon, and knife, plus a plate and cup will come in handy during your meals. 

2. Cleaning solutions. - You’ll need dishwashing soap and a sponge to wash your eating utensils.  If you have a bathroom, you'll also need it to keep your bathroom sanitized.

   
   
   

3. Hygienic materials. - Have a bottle of alcohol and some anti-bacterial wipes on hand.  Sprays would also be handy in disinfecting your general area. You’ll also need a supply of masks for those instances when you need to open your door to receive something. And keep several boxes of tissue in the room. These are heavily used items when sick and you'll need more of them so stock up.

4. Medical gadgets and health boosters. - Have a thermometer to check your temperature, a blood pressure monitor to check your blood pressure and pulse, and an oximeter to measure your blood oxygen levels and heart rate. For health supplements, keep a bottle of vitamins and other immune boosters handy.

   
   
   

5. Clothes. - You’ll be alone, but you’ll still need to change clothes, especially since your general area may be contaminated with germs from your infection. Prepare luggage in advance with clothes. Pack as if you’re going on a vacation because you’ll be checked into your own room for a while.

6. Cooking gadgets. - This may be optional, but it does come in handy, especially if you want a hot meal or hot drink. Having a kettle allows you to make tea or sterilize your utensils. If you have a small toaster, you can use it to toast bread or heat up food. If you have space (and an extra budget), you can also have a microwave to heat up leftover food for a hot meal.

7. Extra food. - Snacking foods like crackers or tea bags is easy to store and has a longer shelf life. They come in handy when you find yourself inside a room feeling hungry. If you have a mini-refrigerator, that could also be handy but it’s not a necessity.

8. Trashcan. - Not all rooms have a trashcan by default so better to have one handy. This also includes trash bags and possibly gloves in case you need to manage and compact your trash. 

9. Writing materials. - Have a notebook and pen ready to log your vital stats. I found it useful in writing down the dates and times I should be taking my medicine. When you’re sick, you’ll have more than the usual number of tablets to take and it may be confusing. 

10. A webcam. - This helps your family monitor you remotely for any reason at all. Some webcams, like ours, have a two-way speaker, which allows you to talk and converse. It also gives your family peace of mind when they see you’re doing ok.

Other things can help you cope with isolation, but you can prepare these beforehand so you won't have to worry about it and can focus on getting well.

I hope this helps. 

Take care.

One of the types of videos I like watching on YouTube is those of travel bloggers. Even before the pandemic, I would watch to see places I haven't visited or discover their experience in a place I may have visited in the past. Traveling also requires time, money, and effort. So these travel vloggers sharing their experiences are a great way to enjoy these destinations from the comfort of your own home.

There are a ton of travel vloggers and the types I like are the ones that don't treat their adventure like they're part of an "Amazing Race." The relaxed type of sharing is what I prefer. After all, I watch to relax and enjoy, not get stressed. Here are five travel vloggers I regularly watch and follow. 

Since the start of the pandemic, chances are that testing positive for COVID is probably among the top fears on anybody's list. My family and I have actively made efforts to protect ourselves from the virus and take strict measures to ensure our health and safety.

Adhering to health guidelines, knowing how to safeguard yourself, and monitoring developments are things we've done to minimize any risks. There are just so many uncontrollable factors and situations that make the possibility of getting infected high.

When you get it, a sense of panic will immediately sink in. As for me, I felt like a thousand thoughts and emotions rushed into my mind the moment I discovered I tested positive for COVID. 

When you've accepted the fact and regained logic, your strategy suddenly shifts from defensive to offensive. Defending yourself from catching the virus ends when you're infected and you shift to offensive to combat the virus. It's not like other illnesses where you take your meds, rest, and wait till you get better. COVID attacks your body from different aspects and you'll find yourself battling coughs, colds, sore throat, and fever at the minimum while taking the right combination of medicines and constantly monitoring your body for any irregularities.

I'm on Day 5 of self-isolation and Day 3 since I tested positive for COVID.  I am past the initial shock of discovering I tested positive and actively thinking of everything I can do to help myself recover. I was also shocked when I learned that our son also tested positive one day after me. I have to be emotionally strong so I can support my son and though I've only been infected one day ahead, I can use that experience to provide insight, guide him, and still help even while isolated and recovering.

But for now, I need to rest my body and let it heal.

More on my experiences in the next blog post.

Reflection:

Handling COVID is no walk in the park. Reflection and prayer help to clear your mind of negative thoughts and focus on a positive outlook. What is assuring is that even though I am in isolation, I am not alone.

Even in isolation, I know You are with me. Please give us the power to heal and cast away our uncertainties as we face this infection. 

March had more days than February but it still felt short. It's probably the feeling when many things are happening in life. In my planner, I've basically split my daily list into two, offline and online tasks.

The offline tasks are pretty much standard and deal with house chores like doing laundry, folding clothes, throwing the trash, sweeping the lawn, and trimming the trees. Other offline tasks include helping out my mother-in-law. 

As for online tasks, most of it is managing utilities and online accounts. One thing I miss though is receiving more emails. It somehow provides an easier sense of what you need to know or do in one consolidated.

So in no particular order, here are some things that happened during the month:

1. I discovered that the nearby park regularly sells fruits and veggies twice a week. I get to buy apples, oranges, pomelo, bananas, melon, watermelons, lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber. Now it's more convenient to buy healthy food. 

2.  I revived a 12-year-old desktop that belonged to Aileen. This was a challenge I was excited about as it's been a while since I've been able to tinker with computers. Unearthing decade old apps also felt like bringing back a time machine. I was successfully able to upgrade this desktop from Windows 7 to 10. 

3. I gave an online training workshop on social media for Peace Corps Philippines. The last time I conducted training was around 5 months ago and it was just for one hour. This time, I had to prepare a workshop that would last for 8 hours spanning three days. It challenged my skills both in social media and presenting. I'm happy to say that I got good feedback from the participants and glad to know the tips and takeaways were handy for them. 

4. My toy photography-themed Instagram account has taken off to a very good start. It's also a great testing ground for me to try out the social media strategies I learned. Check it out at https://instagram.com/transformersAD

5. I won a few freebies just by posting on Instagram. One was a voucher for Philippine Presko coffee, and the other was for a Korean kimchi sauce called bibimbud.  Nice to have these unexpected surprises pop up.

Even if I've been professionally using social media and providing content, strategy, analytics, and management, I'm back to studying online, striving to learn more about everything on social media.

So that's March. Warmed up and ready to sprint.

To sum it up: it was short!

Technically. all Februaries are shorter, even during a leap year. But I guess I felt that with a lot going on, I wished there were a few more extra days to February so I wouldn't feel I needed more time.

First off was that I was able to secure some legal documents like a certificate for a new residence. Changing addresses though also requires updating a lot of info associated with your address so I'm doing that little by little.

I also terminated our cable TV subscription. We heavily use YouTube and Netflix, plus we're also subscribed to other streaming services like HBO, Hulu, and TFC (The Filipino Channel). The only thing I think I'm gonna miss on Cable TV is the aquarium channel.

I've also been assembling different furniture and storage items. Assembling a desktop computer from scratch excites me. I don't have the same enthusiasm for furniture, especially if the instructions are in Chinese. The peak of my excitement is when I'm done assembling it. I'm proud to have assembled two metal racks, a rotating bookshelf, two bedside tables, and a few small tables. Did I mention that I have a backlog of more things to assemble? 

Workwise, I'm happy that I will have the opportunity to teach an organization the ins and outs of social media. I'm excited to share the years of experience I've gained and I sincerely want to help them by being an effective instructor. I also realized I haven't been using Zoom in a while and I'll need to practice hosting along with switching windows, slides, and engaging. 

Healthwise, I'm more actively and aggressively monitoring my food intake. Taking in less sugar, avoiding non-healthy foods, and doing household chores as my exercise. I hope to get healthier each day.

And finally, I got to visit mom. As February's pandemic cases decreased, it gave me a chance to visit mom at the cemetery. Unfortunately, it was raining while I was there and it took me 10 minutes to look for mom's tombstone. I actually thought mom was hiding from me for not having visited her for over two years. I was so happy to finally find mom and we have a long moment. I had a lot to say. 

The first few days of 2022 mainly set the mood for the rest of the month and it wasn't as I and many others expected. People who tested positive for COVID-19 skyrocketed to the thousands daily in the Philippines. It was apparent when it also appeared on my social media timelines of friends and acquaintances sharing their unfortunate health status and hoping to recover. It makes the scare personal given people you know are a part of the growing number of cases.