reviews, Shopping

Pen Review: Pentel EnerGel Gel Pens

Letโ€™s talk about gel pens. If you love stationery like I do, you probably have a favoriteโ€”or several! A colleague at work, who also uses fountain pens, suggested Pentel EnerGel for signing documents or jotting down quick notes. I tried his EnerGel and enjoyed how smoothly it wrote on regular copy paper. So, What Makes Gel Pens So Special? Gel pens… Continue reading Pen Review: Pentel EnerGel Gel Pens

Geology, Local Travel, Shopping

From Commutes to Code: My First Month as a Tech Data Admin (Happy Labor Day!)

Hi all,If you've noticed I havenโ€™t been writing much lately, itโ€™s because my schedule has been hectic! Today marks my first month at my new job, and commuting from my city to Alabang has been quite the challenge. The long distance means I have to leave home early to beat the trafficโ€”and more often than… Continue reading From Commutes to Code: My First Month as a Tech Data Admin (Happy Labor Day!)

Coping with Depression, Geology, Life

From Rejections to Redirection: How Setbacks Led Me to the Job I Needed

There was a time, not too long ago, when my inbox was filled with polite rejection emailsโ€”some from PhD programs I worked so hard to apply to, others from local jobs I thought I was qualified for. The worst case was not even hearing from the professors from universities abroad or HRs of private companies… Continue reading From Rejections to Redirection: How Setbacks Led Me to the Job I Needed

reviews, Shopping

Effortless Writing, Zero Hassle: Why the Pilot Acro 300 is a Must-Try Ballpoint Pen

As a fountain pen enthusiast, Iโ€™ve always appreciated the elegance, smooth ink flow, and customization they offer. Thereโ€™s something special about the way a fountain pen glides across the page, that tactile feel that turns even simple notes into an enjoyable writing experience. However, fountain pens arenโ€™t always the most practical choiceโ€”especially when speed, convenience,… Continue reading Effortless Writing, Zero Hassle: Why the Pilot Acro 300 is a Must-Try Ballpoint Pen

Homeschooling, Life, My Creations, Poems, research, reviews

My Recommended Book for Writers: “Zen in the Art of Writing” by Ray Bradbury

A few years ago, I picked up Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury. It was a transitional period in my life. This was right before the pandemic. I had just left my corporate job. I was exploring ways to supplement our household income. At the time, I had no plans to pursue… Continue reading My Recommended Book for Writers: “Zen in the Art of Writing” by Ray Bradbury

fountain-pen, Geology, My Creations, Shopping

Jinhao 80 Review: Smooth Writing for Less

Disclaimer: I donโ€™t earn any commission from promoting the products mentioned in this article. The following reviews are my honest feedback based on personal experience. One drawback (and perhaps a common nuisance) of writing with a fountain pen is that ordinary copy paper often leads to bleed-through or ghosting. I've tested all the pens in… Continue reading Jinhao 80 Review: Smooth Writing for Less

Life, Uncategorized

Ethics and Integrity in Research Writing – Key Takeaways from a Talk by Dr. Nemenzo

Last October 8 I attended an event hosted by the Research Ethics Boards (REB) of the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD). It was the final session in a month-long series of seminars on research ethics and integrity. The keynote speaker was Dr. Fidel R. Nemenzo, a distinguished mathematician and former chancellor of UPD. Event… Continue reading Ethics and Integrity in Research Writing – Key Takeaways from a Talk by Dr. Nemenzo

fountain-pen

What’s a good fountain pen-friendly paper and where to source them in the Philippines

If you've been following my blog for at least a year, you probably know by now that I primarily write with fountain pens. Over time, I've shared several posts about my collection, along with reviews and recommendations for those looking to get started without breaking the bank. In this post, I'll be diving into fountain… Continue reading What’s a good fountain pen-friendly paper and where to source them in the Philippines

Geology, Life

Thesis Triumphs and Cinematic Quotes

Last month I wrote about certain not-so-happy circumstances surrounding my thesis (link below). I was honestly in the dumps when I wrote it and you'd know if you've been around this site a while that it does happen to me. This blog, along with watercolor art and writing with my fountain pens were my chosen… Continue reading Thesis Triumphs and Cinematic Quotes

Life, My Life in Watercolor, Shopping

My Personal List of Best Mechanical Pencils for Sketching and Writing

My recent post talked about my top favorite Chinese brand fountain pens that are affordable. Today I'm going to talk about the pen that I use as often which are mechanical pencils. I use mechanical pencils for sketching on my field notebook (2nd photo below), when jotting down data while analyzing rocks under a microscope,… Continue reading My Personal List of Best Mechanical Pencils for Sketching and Writing