Blog
This is a collection of stories and daily musings.
-
The icky feeling of waiting
It feels like a gnawing from under my skin, pushing my brain to go wild. I just want to pull my skin off from my flesh to make that sick feeling go away, to let pain rule instead. Pain feels better, like meeting an expectation. At least it’s concrete. But waiting and not knowing for… Read more
-
Long-hour drives
The idea of a 16-hour drive sounds fun—when you’re 20 👀. And my body had to remind me that I am way past that. Still, my mind convinced me it was a fun experience because I traveled with my family. The main highlight of our trip was giving our 89-year-old grandpa a surprise visit at… Read more
-
Never misses mealtime
I can’t remember how it began, but this rooster became a regular visitor, especially during mealtimes. He makes his presence known by walking around the dining area, turning his head enough to make eye contact. He looked funny and cute, bobbing his head left and right, making sure we understood he meant business. He only… Read more
-
My mother’s mechanical pencil from 1981
A conversation with an old classmate made me realize I’ve been living out my mother’s values without fully understanding where they came from. When I posted online about my six-year-old e-reader in March 2024, my high school classmate messaged me out of nowhere. She remembered the yellow mechanical pencil I’d used throughout high school—something I’d… Read more
-
The after-party
After all the preparations and the on-the-day celebration comes the after party, which feels like a hangover. With my social battery already drained, all I want to do is let the final guest leave and scurry back to my comfy bed—back to the mundane. My body just wants to sleep through the day, rest, and… Read more
-
Sitsiritsit
My sister kept talking about sitsiritsit—a traditional cassava crisp—after she saw a vendor at the other side of the road while we were on our way to Malalag, a municipality in Davao del Sur, Philippines. I’ve seen this cassava crisp back in my childhood, usually carried on the shoulders by vendors who walk under the… Read more
-
Having a bird’s-eye view for a moment
The time when I most felt the humble awe and joyful wonder was when I was high above the open waters, parasailing with my husband. The only thing that kept us from floating away entirely was the tug of the towline. It stretched down to the boat that kept getting smaller and smaller as we… Read more
jessa 