just checking in

if you follow me on social media, you may have learned i've moved into a new place. same city, different hill.

it's a lot different from where i stayed previously--a condo unit in a tourist area--and presents its own set of challenges (neighbors whose domestic noise--shouting kids and angry mom included--reach my ears much too often) and joys (other neighbors' cats that now have the run of the house, nearby sources of "real" food, a 24/7 jeepney line).

i've also changed jobs--i'm writing, researching, and editing around 83 percent of the time for work, and the remaining work-related hours are spent learning more about...everything. it's all good.

in june i attended a series of trainings for waldorf school educators. i was--still am--intent on volunteering in balay sofia, the first and so far only waldorf-style school in baguio. i haven't stepped foot in the school in nearly two months now. i'm working on my schedule so i can volunteer in the mornings. the ideal plan is to go for a walk/run or practice yoga (activities i've been missing terribly!), go to balay sofia, rest a bit at home/do errands/work on a project, then do my regular work.

the current rainy weather has made it hard for me to fully explore my new surroundings, but i will surely get to doing that in the coming weeks. my "walkdays with laurie" project hasn't been updated in months!

free time is spent napping/sleeping (haha yes), sketching, tidying up the house/making small home improvements, going out with friends (haha yes), thinking of projects to do (i have a few long-term project ideas in mind), and cooking! thanks to the house being equipped with an induction cooktop, i'm enjoying spending time in the kitchen (and stir-frying everything). i think i like my cooking. :P

that's about the gist of things. i'm an awful blogger now but i do plan on writing here a bit more often (if not regularly), not only for myself but for those of you who think my stuff here is worth reading. i've had other blogs before this and other blogs after this, but i guess this one really sticks. i realize this blog is close to 11 years old now--thank you for keeping it on your reading list!

here's a look back at my first post on this blog: sunog sa araw, written after coming from a community immersion in nueva ecija. i'll be going with a friend's group to visit another community soon, this time somewhere here in benguet, and i'm really looking forward to that. i'm already planning which camera to use and which sketchbook to bring.

i'll be sure to tell you how it goes!