It's Probably Ashley: The Sunday Currently

Hey, how are ya? Decided to pop in while I'm waiting for my downloads to finish (it's a 1.1GB file, go figure). I'll be making a November update post soon after this, but for now I just want to keep my mind off the file downloads happening in the background and the fact that Adobe CC is making things extra challenging for me.

I've gone and changed the format a bit for my Sunday Currently series, as you can see below. I may or may not revert to the old style, though. Who knows.

📖 r e a d i n g

Some tutorials and troubleshooting guides on how to fix my Creative Cloud app. Honestly I think this program is more trouble than it's worth. I don't want to put up with the issues that always crop up whenever there's a new update. I just want to revise our catalogues. :(

Other than that, I'm also reading some random one-shots on AO3 while waiting for Poor Wayfaring Stranger to update. Fandom has consumed me and I'm okay with that.

🎧 l i s t e n i n g t o

90's boyband playlists in Youtube, lol.

I'm also (finally) about to get started on a Welcome to Night Vale binge! A couple of friends have recommended this to me over the years but I didn't have the attention span to get through with it until now. I'm set on running the playlist later when I get home since I've got a few hours to spare, and with National Day weekend coming up I think I can catch up on the latest podcast in no time.

📺 w a t c h i n g

A couple of uploads from the AntsCanada Ant Channel. 😂 Jed can attest to my fascination with ants, so you can bet I watched as many videos from this channel as I could. I found this channel a year and a half ago during my YouTube random clicks and it took me a couple of videos before I realized that Mikey Bustos runs this channel. It's pretty relaxing to watch.

🎮 p l a y i n g

Nothing at the moment; I've put down the controller so I can focus my attention on work for now. 😔 I still haven't finished Final Fantasy XV because of this, and also because I already know what the ending is - it's just a matter of me going through it. I may have made a mistake when I leveled the Chocobros to lv90 by simply fucking around in Eos, though.

💭 t h i n k i n g o f

New places to go, or old places to revisit. Jed and I had planned on going to Al Bastakiya and Old Souq two weeks ago but after feeling the fatigue from our Abu Dhabi trip we decided to lounge in bed the day after we got back instead. Running amok in a waterpark can really take it out on you! We immensely enjoyed the trip though, and will definitely be returning to try out more of their attractions.

🌠 w i s h i n g / w a n t i n g / n e e d i n g

So many unreasonable things, like more time to sleep. Also perhaps a new role where I wouldn't need to touch InDesign with a 10-foot pole - one that also pays 5 figures, lol. I know it's out there somewhere for me to stumble upon, but I just wish would find me faster. 😆

🌙 h o p i n g

The nice winter breeze persists until late May next year, because it is seriously making it so much more appealing to wake up early and take a long walk.

I'm also hoping I get to finally move on to a different role in the near future, actually. I've found ones that are better-suited for me and it's now all a matter of waiting for them to answer me, but I've never been known for my patience. Still, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

💸 r e c e n t p u r c h a s e s

Err, fast food meals and some metro cards. 😅 I've imposed a strict budget on myself recently, but I cannot resist Jollibee's spaghetti.

📍 r e c e n t l y v i s i t e d

Abu Dhabi, Yas Island, and Yas Waterworld! One of my bosses said Yas Island is more of a-country-in-a-city than anything, and that a weekend would be perfect to explore the whole place. The island also houses a couple of 4 and 5 star hotels, Yas Mall, and Ferrari World.

I wasn't able to get tickets for Ferrari World but Jed and I were able to enjoy the attractions in Yas Waterworld before we roamed around in Yas Mall, caught a bus to Abu Dhabi, and then Dubai. It was such a fun weekend! We're thinking of going back early next year, likely before summer starts.

📌 r e c e n t l y b o o k m a r k e d

The Minimalist Podcast and Lore. It sucks that we don't have Spotify here, but I'll try and find a way to listen to these podcasts.

💕 l o v i n g

W I N T E R !

♎ f e e l i n g

Somewhat optimistic for December and 2018 in general. Come on, bring me great stuff! 😝

📅 l o o k i n g f o r w a r d t o

Exploring the city more often now that the weather is more bearable. And also the holiday deals, lol. I'm also counting on some good news as far as me moving to a new role is concerned. Like I said, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I really should come up with some new content now. Got any ideas? Also let me know if you like this new style more than the previous Sunday Currentlys that I've done! Thanks for sticking around. ♥

• The Sunday Currently was originally created by Sidda Thornton •

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How's your week so far? Mine's been pretty quiet, except for that one time I had to wake up at the crack of dawn for a race with barely enough sleep the night before, but everything went better than I expected so there's that. Also I had some really good turkey cheese rolls and lemon mint juice.

I've been trying to get back into the swing of things - AGAIN. There's so much that happened in my absence but I'm roped into that cliche again about not knowing where to begin. But I guess Life really is like that - vague and hazy, with the overall heavy sense of so many things happening and not happening all at once.

(Warning: This post contains spoilers to the game Final Fantasy XV. Please skip the 'watching' part if you haven't finished the game yet!)

reading lithos_saeculum's Poor Wayfaring Stranger. This is wonderfully written in dear, dear Prompto's perspective and I absolutely cannot get enough of it. Above and beyond the genre of emotional hurt and abuse with flashes of torture and horribly-suppressed trauma, I loved the writing style the most; the disjointed feel and simplistic transition of every line perfectly mirrors the main character's mental disposition and how terribly anxious he is because hedoesn'tknowhedoesn'tknowhedoesn'tknowI'msorrypleasedon'thurtmeI'msorry. Due to its nature it is imperative that it should be a slow burn fic, which doesn't bother me the slightest. But what I really loved about this is how I somehow saw myself in Prompto in this one - so used to being told what to do, holding onto orders and instructions almost obsessively so, being so afraid of not knowing what to do, and feeling the ground caving in when things get overwhelming. It made me relate so much to Prompto and made me love the character even more than I already do, which is weird because this isn't even canon, lol. Still, it makes for a beautiful alternate origin story. At the moment the fic is unfinished with the author taking a break for an overseas trip but regular updates should come soon with their return. I'm waiting at the edge of my seat.

listening to random videos from Top 5s in the background while I edit some photos. It's their Halloween special and they've got a bunch of new uploads for almost every day of October until the 31st. It's soothing to listen to, honestly! I've also picked up a few history lessons from this channel.

watching, or rather, also listening to Cryaotic's Final Fantasy XV stream, which is undoubtedly what got me into playing the game in the first place. I'm at session 16 at the moment with no plans of hurrying to finish the stream series because,

1.) I'm at Chapter 14 of the game myself;
2.) I've watched both Emman and Jed finish this game;
3.) I'm very bummed I have to relive the ending all over again, and;
4.) I'm getting envious of Cry's winning streak in Totomostro.

I mean, I've heard screams of dissatisfaction at the ending and I'm with the other fans on this one. Apart from the clamors of an Episode Ardyn, there should be a Final Fantasy XV-2 where the boys find a way to pull both Noctis and Luna from the veil or something! Or at least a tie-in where we get to explore the World of Ruin during Noct's 10-year absence. The game feels too short, too rushed, too unsatisfying. And now I'm sad again.

BTW, I have a feeling Episode Ignis will make me angry and then make me cry. Damnit.

thinking of what other titles I should pick up after I inevitably finish FFXV. I'm looking at wide-open sandboxes and other RPGs but a step in a different direction wouldn't hurt too. HMU if you have any game recommendations!

smelling uh, nothing.

wishing the temperature would drop further as we reach November and December. I've been told that the coming months will be significantly colder, with my landlord warning that I should get some winter coats while it's still early. Being someone who thrives in cold weather I choose to see for myself just how cold it can get before I bundle up.

hoping all the emails I sent come back with the responses I want. Lol.

wearing a shirt, thick leggings, and walking shoes. I've decided to veer from my usual jeans-and-boots get-up and go for something more comfortable.

loving the fact that I don't feel compelled to wear make-up to work, lol.

wanting to get a positive response on all those emails I sent!!

needing to do the laundry again. It can't be helped that my posts would eventually devolve into mundane retellings of day-to-day events. Anyway.

feeling like I need another adventure. My not-so-recent trip to Abu Dhabi (which I'll blog about soon) was too short, and I feel like Jed and I could have done more in the city! I'll be back in Abu Dhabi in November, so hopefully we'll be able to enjoy more of the sights and sounds. Fingers crossed!

With my next trip in November lined up, I should really get our accommodations in order. We're going to Yas Island this time to check out the water park and Ferrari World, so hopefully I'll be able to take decent shots and make a post about that, too. I'm quite excited!

Do you also have an upcoming trip lined up? Tell me about it in the comment section below!

• The Sunday Currently was originally created by Sidda Thornton •

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Jed and I went to the beach the other day with Emman, on account of the latter's request to feel the cool evening breeze and have a quiet dinner by the shore. It has been nearly 3 months since we visited Jumeirah Beach so we figured it would be great to spend our day off wandering barefoot in the sand until it's too dark to see anything.

The evening took a slightly different turn - we decided to get lost while getting there instead, lol. We eventually arrived at Jumeirah at around 7PM but we were too tired to wade in the water, though that's perfectly fine - we got to enjoy the sound of the waves as it tirelessly pursues the shore. The wind wasn't as cool as we had hoped but it was appreciated just the same.

reading shorts from Pottermore. My heart will always be at home in Hogwarts (Slytherin represent!) and reading snippets of stories from Pottermore reminds me there's still so much to learn about the wizarding world.

listening to Noisli. GUYS. I finally found something I can listen to while I work! This is A Big Deal for me, because I couldn't stand listening to music while making graphics but still need something to fill my ears. It's not distracting, calms me down, and I can personalize it to whatever ambience I like to fit my mood. If anything I think it has helped me focus more on my artworks. It's godsend, I tell you. Download it for Android, or iOS.*

watching Family Guy bits on Youtube. This is normally what I do now during my downtime - some mind-numbing cartoons and lukewarm coffee to keep me company while I wait for the bell to ring.

thinking if I should get a massage. It's been a while since I treated myself to something relaxing, and this crick in my neck isn't getting any better.

smelling the aerosol room fresher. I also got this new scent from Miniso:

They have this limited edition Zodiac-themed scent line and it's unbearably adorable. This little gem I picked up smells dainty and floral but not heady or overpowering. I'm planning to get more because it's dirt cheap and comes in teeny bottles so I can bring them with me anywhere.

(I'm actually kind of disappointed that their Libra - my star sign - didn't appeal to me, but eh.)

wishing I could come back to the beach. The way my schedule is right now, I can only afford to come back next month - that's not bad at all. I just couldn't wait until I get to finally swim again.

hoping this week would be just as quick as the last.

wearing a maxi dress, would you believe it. Thought I'd stray from my usual formula and go for something easy to wear; I've gotten some nice compliments out of it as a result, lol.

loving Noisli, really.

wanting more sleep. Haha. The warmth of the bed in contrast to the cold, air-conditioned room makes sleeping-in a lot more inviting. I love bundling up under the covers!

needing more activities. I sit in the office for 8 hours, and then go directly to bed when I get home. Sure there's a lot of walking in between but I feel that this is the most sedentary I've been. It's come as a surprise when I found out I actually lost a few pounds, but I'd rather put my muscles to good use while that happens.

feeling kind of tired but not really. I think I just need more sleep, lol.

The clock had just struck 9PM when we finally got home. Our legs felt like lead from all the walking, tummies heavy with all the food we had for dinner (squid biryani, seafood and mushroom soup, a large platter of shawarma and hummus, and some rather addicting luqaimat).

It was the best sleep we had this week.

• The Sunday Currently was originally created by Sidda Thornton •

*Not sponsored.

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Hello, July! We're halfway through 2017 already, how 'bout that? Things are going pretty well, if I do say so myself.

Back when I was still just daydreaming about what my life would be like so far away from home, I didn't really feel much aside from knowing that it's going to be difficult. Difficult because I will be so far away from my friends and family, difficult because I will have to carve my way into another industry that will pick me apart and judge me solely for my resume, difficult because I had grown so comfortable with the life I've always known.

But who ever grew stronger from hiding in comfort?

It has been 4 months since I hugged my mother goodbye at the airport, 4 months since I've eaten pork (and I miss it so much but it's probably for the best), 4 months since we set foot in a barely-furnished apartment, now cramped and our walls peppered with our personal effects. (Emman insisted on putting up the various posters he collected during his solitary time here. I could not be bothered to say no.)

reading nothing at the moment. Lately work has me slumped on my desk from the moment I arrive, so I don't have time this week to catch up on my reading list. Do restaurant menus and takeout brochures count, tho?

listening to the low hum of the A/C. I can't render artworks while I'm listening to music, and for the life of me I don't understand why.

watching HomeMadeModern's videos. The aesthetics just scream 'hipster', haha. I am very fond of these kinds of tutorial videos, even though it's highly unlikely that I'll be doing them myself any time soon; it simply isn't feasible for me and our living space. Despite that I still appreciate the contemporary feel of the DIYs, and I'm treating these as references for my projects in the far-off future when Jed and I finally have a house to call our own.

thinking of what to get for dinner, where to go for the next weekend, what should I wear tomorrow - that sort of unremarkable stuff. My life isn't filled with fireworks and explosions all the time, and I'm okay with that.

smelling that 'new shoe' smell, lol. A bunch of new orders just came in and they're rearranging the shelves with the new arrivals.

wishing for winter to come sooner, and never leave. The nights are noticeably much cooler, but I need MORE. Haha!

hoping this week would be just as easy as the last one. We had an immensely good time during Eid!

wearing a dress and a cardigan, just to mix things up. And also it's laundry day and I need to wash all my pants. It's difficult to choose a dress to wear because while they're quite decent enough they're still a tad too short. (I can't help wanting to show off my legs, and it's very hot outside.) I'll be getting myself some dark stockings and leggings to wear underneath them soon.

loving my new bag! Jed got me a backpack last week when we passed by a boutique during our nightly walks. I opted for a backpack so I can keep my hands free when roaming around, and I wouldn't have to worry about actually wearing it on my back because I'm not in the Philippines anymore, lol. It's so nice and roomy and has all the pockets I could ever want.

wanting something caffeinated and has chocolate in it. I may or may not head to Starbucks after my shift.

needing these damn adorable plushies.

feeling a bit hungry, as per usual. I got myself some crab paste the last time we went out for a grocery run and I'm really excited to eat it for dinner with my rice. I'll make some aligue pasta with it, too!

It has been a strangely quiet and mundane 4 months, not at all what I had pictured in my head weeks and weeks back. Once our routine was settled, it is as if we had always lived like this. No daily struggle, no battles to fight - just a gentle flux from one day to the next, and a train or two to catch to wherever we felt like going. More than once I catch myself looking forward to the next sunrise. More than once did I catch the first light with my own eyes, not the least bit tired despite being awake for more than 19 hours. I love every minute of those waking hours.

It has been 4 months since Jed and I had started living alone together. Things are going well, if I do say so myself.

• The Sunday Currently was originally created by Sidda Thornton •

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For the first time since I started working, I'm home on a Sunday. We're officially at the end of Ramadan for the year and everyone is celebrating Eid al-Fitr, and that means no offices for the First and Second day of Eid for most employees from private and government sectors. So far, so good, I'd say.

Since it's quite rare for all three of us to be home at the same time, we've all decided to head out later in the afternoon to get some sushi (finally!!). I may or may not post some pictures in my Instagram, but I'll definitely be posting Stories, at least.

reading random Wikipedia articles. I've put Maybe Someday aside in favor of more interesting reads, like the average color of the Universe, the Loneliest Whale (which, compared to Maybe Someday, is ACTUALLY sad), and the Stendhal Syndrome. YA and romance novels rarely ever manage to hold my attention so bear with me as I struggle to finish what I've started and probably post my thoughts on Twitter (if and) when I finally finish it.

listening to Top5s videos while I write this post, and also Emman's groans of frustration as he tries to finish Kingdom Hearts 2.8 on his PS4. I think he's on the last boss but I'm not really sure. I gave Kingdom Hearts 1 a shot back when I was in high school but I never got to finish it because school work, lol.

watching some old episodes of Archer with Jed. I really love this series and its humor - one of the many things my boyfriend and I bonded through. Going back to older episodes is never boring with this series. We actually didn't realize that we've already reached the end of Season 8 until we looked up the episode list online. So now we're back to the lull of waiting for the new season to come, with the earlier seasons to stave us off until it gets released.

thinking if I should get an even shorter haircut. I finally had my hair chopped off two days ago after months of convincing myself that I could still rehabilitate my hair, but I eventually had to admit that there's no coming back from all the perming, bleaching, and coloring I've done with it. There's no glorious ressurection, no raising it back from the dead; I've throttled the life out of my hair and I have no regrets.

smelling the adobo that my flatmates are cooking in the kitchen. That's the thing about living in a small space, everything travels fast - especially the whiffs of whatever people are cooking, whether we liked it or not.

wishing perpetually for cooler weather, lol. I'm so turnt for winter, I can't even.

hoping the malls aren't as cramped today. I actually would like to stretch my legs and walk around, for once.

wearing an oversized shirt and some shorts. I'm as low-maintenance as it gets. I'll be switching to my usual pants-shirt-boots combo later when we head out for dinner, tho.

loving the Nivea Men Aftershave Balm in Sensitive, which I use as a primer. I've seen this all over the internet since last year and I'm sure you're aware of this product as well. I've been meaning to get it ever since I saw the reviews but since it wasn't available in the Philippines my only choice at the time was to purchase it online. I put it off until I got here in Dubai, where I saw that it's a common item on the personal care shelves so of course I had to get one for myself! I really like how it keeps my make up in place, it's not at all heavy on the skin, and it's dirt cheap!

wanting to finally satisfy my salmon sashimi craving, lol. I can't wait to pig out on plates and plates of sushi and sashimi later!

needing a new purse, probably. And also I think I need to revamp my blog theme again, but the daunting task of fiddling with the CSS is not at all appealing.

feeling pretty chipper and positive lately. I do miss traveling though, and I know it's going to be a while before Jed and I can get back on track with our travel list but I'm very optimistic that we'll get to that quite soon.

Eid Mubarak, everyone!

• The Sunday Currently was originally created by Sidda Thornton •