Last night, there was no blog post.
I was simply too tired, and instead of writing, I curled up and let myself sink into the world of CDrama. Sometimes, you just need to give yourself permission to pause.
Earlier that day, one of our bosses treated us to lunch and ordered food at Alba’s. I had the Salpicao alongside their famous Paella. I relished every mouthful, but noticed that some of my officemates weren’t quite as impressed. They found the flavors too bold, too strong, perhaps too far from their comfort zone. I, on the other hand, found them exactly right — the salty-sweet harmony, the punch of garlic, the whisper of wine in the sauce.
My dinner was actually my takeout “Sharon” — Alba’s Salpicado de Solomillo. Tender cubes of beef, perfectly seared, bathed in that rich, garlicky brown sauce that clings to each bite like a love letter. It’s the kind of dish that demands slow appreciation, not hurried chewing. My stomach flu, which had been bothering me for days, seemed to ease as I savored each piece. And since no one else wanted it, I had it all to myself.
It reminded me of how individual preference works. The same plate of food can be divine to one and unremarkable to another. Sometimes, it’s not about what’s “objectively” good — it’s about what resonates with your own taste.
This morning, I accompanied my youngest to school and, for the first time, taught her how to commute on her own to her new school. We walked to the jeepney stop together, me pointing out landmarks she should remember, reminding her where to get off, and showing her how to signal for a ride. She was excited, a little nervous, but ready to learn. I realized, as I watched her hop off at her stop, that she wouldn’t need me beside her every morning from now on. That small moment — letting her take the ride alone to Makati — felt a lot like my own shifting preferences in life. You slowly learn to release old habits and embrace new ways of doing things, even if they feel unfamiliar at first.
It’s funny how preferences shift over time. Just like with food, my viewing habits have evolved. I used to be firmly in the KDrama camp, but for the past two or three months, I’ve been hooked on CDrama shorts — those quick, horizontal-format series you can finish in a few minutes per episode. They follow familiar plots: powerful CEOs, revenge arcs, reincarnations… and yet, I keep coming back for more. Predictable? Yes. Comforting? Absolutely.
Maybe that’s the thing — whether it’s food, entertainment, or even parenting, our preferences and routines are not fixed. They bend, stretch, and sometimes completely transform, depending on where we are in life and what we need at the moment.
Today, I realize: tastes change, and that’s not just about the tongue. It’s about the heart, too — learning when to savor, when to let go, and when to trust that the next ride will take you exactly where you’re meant to be.
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