It seems I’ve neglected my blog-writing duties for a while. With nothing big deserving its own post but lots of small things happening, I’ve decided to make a compilation! This one’s a rambling of the things going on in my life recently. Ikuzo!
#BoysWhoLaro (Gaming)
I celebrated my first anniversary with my Steam Deck last month and until now, I still can’t put it down.
After a year of playing so many games, I’ve destroyed my Steam backlog and I’m constantly on isthereanydeal checking for the next discounted game to purchase.
Currently, I’m on the final chapter of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. I bought this game during the Steam Spring Sale and have been playing it non-stop. Initially, I planned to speed through the game so I could play Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. But the content in this game has been so engaging that I can’t resist doing them all.
My favorite side content has been the Sujimon battles and I’ve dedicated hours to completing my Sujimon Dossier. Dondoko Island has also been a fun distraction and I’ve been getting back to it just to get the 100-guests Steam achievement.
There’s so much to do in this game and even the grinding in the dungeons is therapeutic. It’s an improvement from the previous entry in all ways and I’ve been putting off clearing the main story just because I want to experience everything the game has to offer. I still don’t know how to play Mahjong and Shogi though.
Aside from Infinite Wealth, I’m currently playing Biped with my partner as well. I’ve been looking for a cute and fun co-op game for a while and this happened to be on sale.
We’re having fun with it and have completed the short campaign. Right now we’re doing the challenge stages and despite the difficulty, we can complete them after about a hundred tries. The mechanics are fun and the challenges are creative so I can see us spending more time here whenever we can.
I’m just waiting for It Takes Two to go on sale so we can really test our relationship. I just hope EA has already fixed their godforsaken launcher so we can actually play it this time.
#BoysWhoBasa (Books)
Been a while since I’ve done a proper book review post, but I’ve consumed a lot of e-books since the year started. I just feel burnt out by my own format of book reviews and I think I’ll be revamping it soon.
But here’s a quick run-through of the most memorable books I’ve finished recently:
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes – I did not expect this book to impact me in such a way. It was an eye-opener as someone who instinctively reacts with “pity” to people with special needs. The way the story is told is unique and presented in a way that immersed me more than most stories. This book hits hard and left me almost in tears at the end.
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides – This story was gripping and interesting, with a plot twist that I didn’t see coming. It looked really cool when it happened, but after marinating on it, there were some plot holes that could be seen. Though, it didn’t detract from the experience while reading. Plus it didn’t overstay and was easy to digest.
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata – I enjoyed living vicariously through the main character. There is something satisfying with defying societal standards and just loving the routine of everyday life. Her ability to find her purpose in a boring, and often looked down-upon job is inspirational. I wish I had that much dedication to my own job. I have always fantasized about this kind of life and seeing it play out in this book gave me a sense of catharsis. This is a weird book that made me feel lots of things while reading it. And that’s a good thing.
Angels & Demons by Dan Brown – This book was hard to put down. I’ve heard of this series when the movies came out, but I never consumed them until now. I never had a book take hold of me in like this in a long time. I was reading it everywhere, determined to find out the secrets and mysteries. It’s a wild adventure and made me look forward to more of Dan Brown’s books. Plus, I loved researching the real places, names, and people that appeared in the book. This story was able to blend reality with fiction so well.
No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai – This was a stressful read. I was shocked that in the foreword, people keep saying that they can relate to the main character. In the same vein as Catcher in the Rye, I ended up despising the main character immediately. What a sadboi and a hypocrite. Although, I guess I am one to talk, because I DO relate to some of the things here. But ultimately, what a sad and depressing story by an author that committed suicide. Some books stay with you because of how good they are, this is the opposite. Not bad as in poorly constructed, but bad in a way that it sucks up all the joy from the world when you read it.
I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Se-hee – I DNF-ed this book halfway through. I just couldn’t get through it. There are some good lines and reminders for self-help here, but most of the time, it felt like reading the reddit posts of a person looking for advise on every aspect of her life. I do admire the courage to publicize an entire therapy session. It’s just not for me, and I was so hyped to read this after all the good things I’ve heard.
As for the book I’m reading right now, it’s Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin. I find it to be unnecessarily long, but the topic is about video games so I enjoy most of the references. At its most basic, the story is about a couple of friends making video games, with a lot of human issues in-between. So far, it’s been a decent ride.
I’ve got a lot on my TBR list. The ones I’m looking forward to are Some People Need Killing by Patricia Evangelista and Coin Locker Babies by Ryu Murakami.
#BoysWhoKinig (Music)
Not a category I would write about repeatedly, but I’ve been listening to BACK-ON a lot. They’re one of my favorite J-rock bands. I wish they would come and play in Manila someday.
I have their song “With You ft. Me” on repeat when I’m doing my office work.
I’m so thankful to Gundam Build Fighters for introducing me to this band because most of their songs are my jam and hype me up daily.
For other J-rock bands I recommend, you can’t go wrong with Radwimps, Shonan no Kaze, and Bump of Chicken. Oh, and, of course, the GOAT Flow.
I’ve also gotten back to listening to Mayday Parade because we got tickets to their concert later this year. They’ll be celebrating 20 years of activities which means playing their most famous songs. I’ve been catching up on their recent releases as well just to cover all the bases.
It’s my 3rd time seeing them live and I will never stop supporting them as long as they keep coming back.
#BoysWhoKain (Food)
Good food is a blessing and I’m a man of simple tastes. I’ll just mention some highlights in this section. I’m not including the delicious food I had in Japan, Boracay, as well as the ones I’ve already reviewed this year.
Pizzaderia – They make my personal top 1 pizza – the shawarma pizza. Literally no other pizza has topped this since I first had it. I requested a couple for my birthday meal and consumed almost all singlehandedly. So good! If you love shawarma, you owe it to yourself to try this.
Silantro Fil-Mex Cantina – They have unlimited sauces and an incredibly cheesy serving of nachos. Their chicken quesadillas are very hefty and creamy. Even when sharing, we ended up with a full belly. Man, that smoked cheese on top of the nachos plus their beef chunks are so good.
1975 Old Fashioned Burgers – I will never get tired of recommending this. Best grilled burgers in town. Aside from their namesake, they have juicy chicken sandwiches and chicken wings. Whenever we want to order something quick and quality, this is our go to. I also crave their onion rings from time to time. I will never stop supporting this business.
Kanto Samgyupsal – Very convenient, very affordable, and very filling! We’ve eaten here lots of times when the kbbq craving kicks in. Nowhere else can beat the proximity to our place and the price. I hope they never close because I love their extremely thin pork slices and juicy chicken chunks. When I feel the desire to eat a huge amount of meat in one sitting, this is the place to go.
Burrito Brothers – Their burritos and quesadillas are delicious and flavorful. Simple but definitely a meal I look forward to having. Their salsa compliments the food well and I only wish there was more per serving. Another place that brightens my day when we decide to order.
Niu by Vikings – I’m never going back to regular Vikings again. This place is definitely worth the additional price. Everything is delicious and premium, a reminder of what Vikings used to be. Quality AND quantity. Eating here, I wished I had a bottomless pit for a stomach because I could not stop. The only buffet I wanna return to, nowadays.
#BoysWhoGalaw (Fitness)
Shane and I joined The Great UP Run 2025. It was my first fun run since the pandemic and her first ever. We finished 5km with lots of energy to spare. We’ve been consistently running 5km weekly and our next target is the 10km in the Bacolod Marathon this June.
Sadly, I couldn’t find any pictures of us during the run. I was impressed by the new system used by running photographers. There are now dedicated sites where you find your picture based on your bib number and face. But in my case, they only ever showed people that kinda looked like me.
I was also amused by the amount of watermarks in the free pictures. Back in my day, we would just upload everything on facebook and let the runners find their pictures manually. Now, only a few of those kinds of photographers are left. I’m glad race photographers now have a way to get paid for their services, but I do miss the way it was back then.
Running has become a popular hobby and lots of organizers have taken advantage of this with exorbitant registration fees. No longer is “one race a week” sustainable for me. I now have to choose my races mindfully.
If you told me that a 5km race will cost more than P1,000 back in 2015, I would have called you crazy. But that’s the state of running now.
Aside from running, I’ve been going to the gym because it’s my original form of therapy. Nowadays, I’m not losing as much weight despite being more conscious about my food intake now than ever before. The change in metabolism when you hit your 30’s is crazy. I’m eating 6 eggs a day and chugging down protein shakes but I’m not seeing any improvement, lmao.
I wanna get back to having visible abs even just for the summer, but I feel like it takes so much more effort than before. But no matter, I’m still enjoying my time in the gym.
I’ve also been watching videos on science-based lifting. Thank you so much to Dr. Mike Israetel and Jeremy Ethier for the knowledge and entertainment. Implementing some of their teachings into my routine has made my workouts feel more intense and the pump very satisfying.
I also hiked Mt. Batulao recently. If you’re a long-time reader of this blog, you know how much I adore this mountain. It has become an annual climb for me so I’ll be back again next year.
The number of hikers has increased exponentially and there’s so much traffic on the New Trail once the sun rises. I plan to do the Old-New traverse when I return just to avoid the congestion and to get an update on the Old Trail too. Aside from the crowds, the mountain is just as beautiful as before.
That’s about it for now. I’ve got some personal goals that aren’t ripe for revealing yet, but I’m slowly working on them. I’ve fallen into a toned-down routine most days of the year, but I’m grateful for that peace of mind.
Thanks for reading. As always, comments and suggestions are appreciated.
Stay active and safe!
-jgzn
