5 reasons to celebrate with a champagne and/or strawberry shortcake.

Now I really have to think this through. By the way, I'm not considered a drinker at all. So if I'd be celebrating, I'd choose strawberry shortcake, or any other cake for that matter to indulge myself into and to celebrate.

Five reasons, huh? Let's see if I can actually think of five, let alone one reason t celebrate. 😝

1. Simply being alive and enjoying life on my own terms with no distractions and annoying people trying their best to ruin it.
2. Each approved and published manuscript as a celebration for one of the most beautiful achievements, as a writer.
3. Each finished novel/manuscript. It's one step ahead to those who hadn't dared to finish writing anything at all.
4. A treat to myself for being amazing and beautiful in my own rights. I mean, everyone should be celebrating this about themselves, right?
5. Being loved simply for being ME ー especially on the romantic aspect. Now this is one definite confidence booster for me. Like as if I can do a lot because of that. 😄💕

What is going well in your life right now?

My productivity, even though it still doesn't apply to my story writing. And I got to add my imagination on that. Yes, I know I would complain about more story ideas keep popping up. Even with that, I'm glad that it truly helps with my visualization. I've been keeping up with my morning exercises, which I hadn't done since... elementary days (?). Yes, I guess it's been that long. I guess I can't really program myself to keep up with my morning exercises before, especially during high school and college. A lot has been going on with my life and I'm glad that it helps me, little by little, to changing myself and my negative/limiting mindset.

What is something you regret saying?

As much as I hate to admit it, a lot. I said a lot of things to myself and to others that I regret at the end of the day. Out of those words I've uttered at one point in my life, "My life will never find its worth at all. I'm useless..." would be the worst for me to say and I've regretted it every time it would echo in my mind.

I started uttering those words to myself when I was in 2nd year college, when I failed my NC-II test. I've uttered those words more often than not during my remaining college years when I couldn't attain the grades I wanted to have. I've uttered those words again when I got laid off from two of the jobs I had when I graduated.

From time to time since then, I've been uttering them again whenever I'd feel like a total failure for not getting back up again after those setbacks.

Those were the worst words I've regretted saying to myself and those were the words that I've been trying to fight off for a long time.

I know I have worth. I just have to believe that. And I know one day, those words that I've regretted saying and still continues to destroy me slowly will dissipate before I could even realize it.

How do you stand out in the crowd?

Now this is something. In fact, I've never actually thought about it. I got so used to being in the background, to being invisible in the crowd that I haven't thought of actually standing out.

Yes, I know, it is quite sad for me to think that way. But these past weeks (or should I say months) since quarantine started, I did notice something that made me stand out at least a little bit. A lot of people kept on saying ー especially when I would go to the market ー that I don't look like my age.

And that's why most of the enforcers there would ask about my age. That I look like 17 years old. Apparently, people below 18 aren't allowed to go out, even until now, because of the virus. And that includes senior citizens, as well.

Basing from this, I guess I can say that I stand out in the crowd because I look younger than my age. And I also tend to talk to myself, especially when I'm walking ー at least, before people were required to wear face masks. 😂😂

Embarrassing, I know. And yet it seems like a habit I can't remove. That's why people would look at me when I got caught up with it.

Favorite ways to spend a quiet afternoon.

I'd always say writing the things I have to write without the usual disturbances of getting called over to do this and that. No errands, no favors, no... anything.

I don't usually have that quiet afternoon. One other thing I'd love to do in a quiet afternoon would be reading while listening to music on my playlist.

It's been a habit, actually. At least on the music listening part. More often than not, I would end up sleeping as I try to do both.

But hey, quiet afternoon is also good to take a good nap. It refreshes the body.

Dance With Me

To the (future) love of my life,

I know I'm not a good dancer. I'm not much of a dancer, anyway. But it's a dream come true for me to be able to dance with you. For me to be able to move gracefully with the music together with you.

I can feel my heart soar if it does happen, if you also decide to fulfill this little wish I have. So please, will you dance with me one day? And I'd love it so if it would put a smile on both of our faces and even our hearts that love each other more and more each coming day...

With love,
Florence Joyce

What keeps you awake at night?

A lot.

Mostly writing ideas and my imagination going wild at times. Yes, even steamy ones. I don't know why. And it's making me crazy.

I could add my writing activities, as well. I mean, they're the ones that keep me busy, more often than not. It's crazy, to be honest.

I'm having a hard time trying to tame down my thoughts at night. So yeah, don't be surprised to see my under eyebags getting bigger and bigger by the day.

I guess I could also add watching Youtube videos on the list.

What is the only thing that, if not invented, your life will suck?

I would say... paper.

And I'm glad paper already existed in the ancient times. I really can't imagine not being able to write with ease in this amazing invention and being able to jot down things that I need to put in print.

Yes, I can already imagine how my life would suck without papers to write on to. Writing in stones or carving in caves or even clay tablets ー I can already tell the expense and the hassle in writing in such ancient writing materials.

I don't want to deal with that. It's going to drive me crazy, to be honest.

What is your biggest fear?

This question threw me off when I got this.

But that's because I have lots of fears. Most of them had stemmed from when I was a kid.

Yet the one I'd consider the biggest one is to be an utter disappointment in my life. The one that never got to do anything at all to achieve the life I wanted to add.

At the moment, I am in that state, and it scares me to think that I'll remain that way for the rest of my life. I'm at the state in which I couldn't help comparing myself to others, to my friends and former classmates, of the life they had come to achieve all these years.

It scares me the most that I'll remain stuck on this spot forever.

Right now, I'm trying my best to fight that. It may be slow, but I'm fighting for it.

How do you indulge yourself? Do you need to indulge yourself more often?

As far as indulging myself into something, I think I'd go on food for this one. Well, I wouldn't say it's surprising even though I don't really eat a lot.

I'm more likely to indulge myself to some sweets and of course, coffee. Don't remove coffee from the list. 😂😂 It's something that boosts me up.

Once in a while, too, I'd indulge myself to some donuts ー especially chocolate, mocha and those covered in powdered sugar. I don't do it often. Only when I have the budget. So I would say donuts are pretty much a luxury for me already.

What are your priorities for this year?

Well, I did state at the start of the year that I want something different in my life to happen this year.

I guess I got so tired of the same routine. It's not like I never did anything to change it, nothing lasts longer than they should be. I kept going back to that side of me that was unmotivated and... well, not exerting any effort necessary.

I've done quite a lot of change it just on the first half of this year. LOA (or at least my attempt to it), meditation, visualization, affirmation, scripting...

A lot, huh? But then, I've just experienced small results coming from those.

Right now, I've changed my morning routine by adding stretching exercises and drinking water first thing in the morning. I don't usually do that before.

So yes, one of my priorities this year is to change myself, physically speaking. Keeping it up is a key.

Another thing has something to do with my writings. I have to finish writing some of my pending stories this year.

What's your favorite meal?

Was this an indication of something I need to pay attention to? 🤗

Sorry, it's a weird way to answer this question/journal prompt I picked up. I'm not much of a picky person ー at least I know I'm not.

But if anything in particular comes to mind, I would say it has to be a meal with stir-fry veggies/buttered veggies and meat. I've always find myself eating more than usual when this combination usually appears on our meal time.

What you wear to bed?

It differs every night since I'm in fact wearing each set alternately.

All in all, I have 4 dasters (spelled dusters in some), 3 skirts, 2 lose shirts, 2 shorts and 4 short-sleeved tops that I use. And these were the ones I used alternately as my bed wear.

I don't usually wear a separate clothing set as bed wear/night time outfit at first. But that was a long time ago.

I had the chance to earn something to buy night dresses and find something from my other clothes to be used as night wears. So now, I'm finally using them.

I plan to add more, when an opportunity comes for me to be able to buy more.

If my body could talk, it would say...

GET ENOUGH SLEEP! LEARN HOW TO SLEEP EARLY!

Yup. I can definitely imagine a part of my body screaming this to me over and over.

I mean, I can understand. It's been a long term issue for me. And for the longest time, I've been trying.

But fighting off insomnia appears to be a bigger challenge to me than I ever thought it would be. And that's crazy.

I just need this year to be something different for me.

One of them should be about my sleeping time patterns.

What qualities do you want in a romantic partner? What are the top 10 characteristic that you look for in a romantic partner?

Talk about crazy for me to get this prompt. But I think the Universe is just giving me the sign that it's about time I should give this a careful thought and deep contemplation. I mean, I am 28 years old already. I'm truly NBSB, which at some point, I'm proud of. But it can get a little lonely on my part and I tend to get envious about how most people I know are either settled down or relishing the love they've found.

I do have certain criteria and qualities that I look for in a potential romance partner/significant other. At first, they were simple. Over time, they changed ー especially during the time when my parents' relationship went downhill for good. Not to mention, something that happened in the past still haunts me, even though I want to forget about it or let go of it. So, yeah. People might find these qualities cringey at some point, and yet they are my guides to direct me to realize what I truly want or what exactly I was looking for.

Here goes:

1. A guy possibly 20 cm taller than me, maximum. 😂😂
2. Seven years older or younger than me, maximum. The number 7 kept on ringing in my head, for some reason. And it's been like that for a while now.
3. Someone who is supportive of my writing endeavor. This is one thing that's truly important and meaningful for me.
4. Someone who loves me for everything I am, regardless of my past and my faults.
5. Someone who can teach me new good and enjoyable things that can help me grow as a better person.
6. Someone who can comfort me when I'm feeling down or insecure even without me actually saying it.
7. Someone who is a good cook and who can teach me how to cook even better.
8. A man who I can be comfortable with, regardless of the racial and cultural/religious differences between us.
9. Someone who I can write love letters to and will truly appreciate and treasure them. 😄💕
10. Someone who can make me smile from the heart with his faith and his love for me.

🔅🔅🔅

Update: 9/21/20

By the way, since I deleted this particular post on Instagram, I decided to add the comments that my online friend and I shared when this was posted there before. I just didn't want to completely delete everything, that's why. 😄✌️💕

And the comments are in Tagalog.

Who inspires you most in life?

A lot of people inspires me to do my best, to be at my best. Yes, even when I can't do a thing to surpass my procrastination and laziness to actually do my best to pursue what I have to do or at least finish a task.

But if I have to pick one... I would say it's a Filipino comedian named Wally Bayola.

Yup, I was watching AlDub Kalyeserye when I was able to recall this part of the people who gives me inspiration.

Well, I could've named someone else, especially those people close to me as my inspiration. But I could feel that, intensely, there was something missing that I couldn't figure out why.

Weird, huh?

As for the reason why I picked this comedian of all people, it's because of AlDub ー to be specific, his character as Lola Nidora. I still can't believe until now that such an amazing character would keep on having an effect on most of the things I do and the thoughts I have.

Right now, I think I would need a reminder of the person I know I should be, but ended up forgetting in the long run.

What will you do on a day-off?

Normally, I would continue reading the book that was on my pending list of "to read" books.

Or if not, I'd continue writing the stories that I put on hold.

At least, that's what I did when I was still a student and when I was still working. True, going out would be better but I'm more of a homebody ー or as I'd like to call myself more, a hermit.

So I'd better put my hermit mode on to a good use ー at least good for me. I'd also enjoy some good music and indulge in food that I love. As long as I have those food on my stock, of course.