Shainne Hostalero

Hello! I know social media and the internet is already part of us and posting, commenting, resharing, and other activities are uncontrollable especially if it is done publicly. We all have different opinions, thoughts, and beliefs, and it is nice to share it with others and eventually know someone who can relate. Since that is easier to comment without thinking, bash without knowing, and express their opinion without understanding, the turnout of comments, views, and the words that came with it really affect me not just as a person, but most especially as a parent. It then pushed me to somehow express my sentiment about the matter. I have uploaded on my personal Instagram account a Boomerang Story of my son wearing a turban/headband. I have also cut his bangs since that it was already interfering his sight, hence the not-so-pleasing outcome that many people have pointed out. I am NOT an influencer  or even social media famous , hence why it affected me because I only add people I

Since I started out Happy Shift two years ago - put on hold, then restart again April of this year, it was and still is a struggle. You need to research, develop, promote, do customer service, and always uplift the brand. Being a business major myself, many of my friends think that it will be easier since I have a background. Perhaps, at some point, but never entirely. I always believe that hardwork will pay off and working smart is indeed the key. Also, I firmly believe that I couldn't do it with the people around me who give their support even in just simply like my brand's page, Facebook posts, or Instagram uploads. I also like to believe that there's always good in everybody and that people are also willing to help you and not ask for anything in return, except for you to appreciate them. I'm not close to success but I'm glad how things have started and gone its course. I couldn't say that I haven't experienced any tremors yet, but I'm proud to s

There were really days, huh? I've been so tired for the last two years - mentally, physically, and emotionally. You know, I'd like to believe that I have lengthened my patience, perhaps through time, through experience, and through downfalls, but sometimes I just lose it. How about you? Maybe I'm asking for validation if someone in here feels the same, too. I think the emotional tiredness is one of the hardest to recover with. If you are physically or mentally tired, you may have to sleep on it then it gets better. But, when you are emotionally exhausted, it doesn't really follow. You'll get this many blunders in life that you wanna yell at everyone who is actually annoying, doesn't have manners or discipline. But, you want to take the high road and be a bigger person because it is actually appropriate at the moment. However, things may get off at hand sometimes. Have you ever forced yourself to love somebody because it's the best thing to do? I think

Translated from Japanese by Philip Gabriel and Ted Goosen Part of my 2018 resolutions and goals is to back to reading, especially the ones that have been stuck in my shelves for quite a long time now. I don't spend much my money buying clothes, shoes, makeup, and the like; instead, like a real adult, I spend it paying grad school tuition fees (huhuhu hahaha), insurance, business supplies, raw materials, and BOOKS. The first book I've read this 2018 was Crazy Rich Asians  by Kevin Kwan which I still have to share with you here. But, to be honest, it is already August (September) and it is just a few days ago that I've finished reading another, Men Without Women by my favorite author, Haruki Murakami. The book is also a shadow of what we all have felt inside of us, maybe once or twice. Gaining new stories, having a partner, losing one, getting our hearts broken, and moving on from there. We all have been there. Like the usual Murakami creation, it is full of many realiz

Since How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM) is already uploaded on Netflix (complete 9 seasons!), I've decided to give it a go and re-watched it again. It took me way back to my college days when I first completed all episodes and talked about it with my barkada . It was a whole lot of nostalgia and the feels .  Photo from web I've spent almost two weeks re-watching it and dread the remaining ninth season because somehow, I don't want it to end. Hahaha! It felt like my life has been over and out again, and episode per episode has been nothing but sort-of communicating to me that "look at yo' life, gurl," and at the same time, "you're in a good place now."  My college barkada's everyday spiel is how episodes went, how funny they were, and our in-depth thoughts on Ted's dilemma. We are somehow deciphering who we are in the TV series or looking out for our own Marshmallow and Lilypad.  Maybe, why I'm saying this is because HIMYM has

I was tagged by numerous photos on social media by a friend. The images were mainly the memories we had in a workplace, where, I must say, contributed to who I am today - as a person, as a marketer, a writer, an educator, a friend, and a human being. I can't help but reminisce the past; the time of how we started - all the friendships we built from the ground to up, as well as the rifts and the differences we decided to mature enough to set aside. It was happy, it was sad, it was dramatic, it was fun. It led different emotions and realizations, that up until now if we had the chance, we will go back to it. But maybe life made us not to go back. Perhaps there is a reason why we cannot change what we did, why we cannot go back to what we have missed, and why we cannot touch what we weren't able to reach. I was single for quite long and fooled enough to know that there was love everywhere in every form. I had and still have friends who consider me as part of their family; and

Photo from: jcomp/Freepik The common point of complaint regarding the communication between public agencies serving children and the media has always been the fear, mistrust, and subsequent misinformation. On one side, you have a child welfare system burdened with the nearly impossible task of mitigating the worst effects of societal dysfunction: child abuse, neglect, and child death. On the other side, you have a cast of overwhelmingly well-intentioned journalists, working under a strict deadline, who are met with a foster care system practically and - in more than half of the states - legally cloaked in obscurity. The system's culture of confidentiality invariably erodes the news media's confidence in it, resulting in a more sensationalist coverage that the foster care professionals are scared about. It is a case, which has showcased us the current warped public perception of a broken foster care system. The logical result is that myriad opportunities to engender civi

Photo from:  mindandi / Freepik "I was feeling a little anxious and worried, scared," said Heather, 13, while sitting inside the courtroom. Her wide-shaped expressive eyes were looking down at the floor at first, turning her eyesight to everybody in the courtroom - she must be observing. The incident happened that night when her father threatened her life. As a teen, this should not be the kind of thing Heather must be experiencing. "I was feeling really shy and it was hard enough for me to make friends on a normal day. " She feels discomfort during her stay in the courtroom. "When I was waiting to be called up, first I was thinking, like I said, how I was really uncomfortable there. As a really awkward 13-year old, I was feeling really shy, and it was hard enough for me to make friends on a normal day. That lonely day, I was feeling really anxious and overwhelmed, and there are all these kids running around doing whatever. I felt like that was my fir

Before April ends, I would like to thank everyone who took away some moments from their busy day to greet me a happy birthday last Sunday. All the well wishes are so heartwarming, and I felt the love and care that went with it. My late 20s is serious about changing my life. It was really a roller coaster ride because a part of me does not want to add one more year for the same reason I had - I want to be forever 22. I have some bittersweet realizations turning a year older because do you see the thought of this sentence? A year older, it means adding another 12 months to my life. I am also happy to have another dozen of months to live my life, struggle, and lose some sleep yet again. How exciting, huh. Kidding. I am grateful for my life because I am far lucky I know to have given the most precious gift on earth, and yes, it is now time for me to use it for the better. I am happy to reunite with some old friends whom I think I could get older with. I am glad to have a supportive fam

I grew up in a not-so-rich family. I was raised by my grandparents in modest means. They sent me to school for my so-called brighter future. It was worth it, if I may say. I have experienced both public and private school. When I was in my first and second grade, I was enrolled in a public elementary school. We were more than 50 students in one classroom. There were bullies everywhere and terror teachers, too. I was six years old mumbling through the corridors how life was for my other classmates. Being friendly was not innate to me as I did enjoy the company of myself most of the time. I was raised to bring good grades. I was not expected to be on the honor roll. I was just encouraged to have at least good grades, but more importantly, I was motivated to work hard for all the things I would do even if it means I fail, so as long as I could learn something that will help me through life. It was in the earlier of times I have awakened to how life was and how it will be. There were

Today, I was able to submit a manuscript. I have been quite thinking about it for a week now and I thought that maybe if I start doing it, then I would have gone to finish it. I did, actually; and it felt good. When I first decided to start my manuscript, I was so scared. I fear that it will not be as successful as what I want it to be. But, later on, I felt incomplete because I know in myself I'm not trying (not trying hard enough). Then I started. I penned all the words as it came to me like hot flushes under the scorching hotness of the sun. I let my mind run the letters and the words to form a sentence, a paragraph, and it eventually became a piece. As of this moment, I'm not in, any way, care about where my manuscript will take me as I know whatever and wherever it will lead me in the days to come, it is already considered as an achievement. Pushing myself to produce one is good enough for me to know that I can. Following your passion was never easy. Well, at le

So  ito nga. Yung mga besh ko na magkakausap kami tungkol sa mga librong nabasa namin. Ang saya. Kasi minsan wala akong kakwentuhan tungkol sa mga libro na nabasa ko o nabasa nila. Yung iba sobrang lalim, yung iba sadyang walang interes lang. Lahat kami stressed  sa kung paano tatakbo ang kanya-kanya naming grupo. Ewan. Bahala na si Batman. Lagi lang naman siya ang bahala. Kaya niya na yan. Going back . Madami ako nabasang libro dati pati na rin siguro ngayon, may iilan. Sa sobrang busy  ko sa trabaho at sa bahay eh bakit ba hindi na ko makapagbasa. Nung mag-isa akong namumuhay sa tuktok ng building dati, madami akong oras mag- emote. Kada librong nakakaiyak na nabasa ko, iiyak ako. SO WHAT?  HAHAHA. Feel na feel ko bawat chapters. Kasama ko ang tahimik na mundo ko, tanaw ang mga bahay, buildings , at mga billboards sa malayo. Pati na rin yung langit at ulap na nagsasabi sakin dati na "lumabas ka naman sa lungga mo." Karamihan ng hugot ko sa mga sinusulat, nakuha ko sa

One of the most memorable years of my life are the years I spent living alone, independently. I had the whole time to discover myself, to finally connect with my being, my strengths, and my weaknesses, and to do all the things I want to do without any approval, only myself. On the other hand, it was sad to be away from family, too, but it was all-happy at the same time. I answer only to myself, who by the way, is not too hard to please, if I may say. I'm not high-maintenance. Simple things drive me.  I had the time to know more what I want in life, what I surely cry about, or what can hurt me. I protected myself at all times because no one can do it for me. Sure, there were a lot of lessons there, trial and errors, too. But with all the lessons I've learned, I learned it through the hardest way possible: 1. You are only accountable for yourself, so stop being a baby My career was sure a whirlwind of an experience. It was ups and downs, and it had mostly down

#UPFight! I'm getting all emotional facing my last year in graduate school. Currently, I'm on my second to the last semester - my supposedly last semester if it not because of the divided Master's Thesis (Master's Thesis 1 and 2). They do not allow overload of the thesis for all apparent reasons. Hehe! But, I'm happy to report that it's going to be my final year (hopefully! Cross fingers!). So much had happened while I was enrolled. To tell you honestly, I didn't have any idea that I would be able to ace grad. school. In fact, it was a long-time dream to enroll but I didn't get so serious about in until the last quarter of 2015. I was a busy person (well, until now. I think I'm a lot busier now than I was before). Going to the office, film shooting, writing, and all those sort of stuff got me really occupied. During my free days, I was sleeping or hanging out with friends. I was here, there, and everywhere. As far as I enjoy my life way bac

Since 2014, I have been active in supporting different causes especially about the environment. Since then, I have been an environmental activist and advocate on reducing the use of plastics and other materials that could have a long-term effect on the environment. I donate, I support, I volunteer, and more importantly, I voice out my opinion, thoughts, and generally what I know to influence and inspire others to make a move. Safe to say, I support every cause close to my heart. In this growing enigmatic world, we should try to make a difference. Mental Health Awareness Philippines (MHAP) In our society, having some mental health issues are being frowned upon. There is a stigma that if we, at any time discuss something about it, we will be called out labels like  baliw , sira ang ulo , or sira ang bait . Mental health awareness should be on point. Keeping it healthy is fundamental so we can go on our daily lives in our best real self. There are many circumstances why our men

We've been waiting for the Ophthalmologist at a hospital for almost two hours, neither one of us had lunch (I just had a bottle of Sprite from the vending machine) so inip na inip na kami ...  R: Ang tagal naman. Ano kayang itsura nung doctor  para alam natin na siya yun kapag dumating? Me: Hmmm. Siguro malaki yung tiyan, puti ang buhok, tapos may suot na  eyeglasses . R: Grabe siya. Ini stereotype ! Hahaha! Me: Ano naman grabe dun? (Wala naman  derogatory  sadyang nag dedescribe lang).   Basta. Ano? Yun ang hula ko.  R: Game?  Sige.  After a few minutes....  Dumating si doc .... Malaki yung tiyan. Puti ang buhok... AT may suot na eyeglasses .  Coincidence o Super Power? 

This conversation happened quite a long time ago , mga last year  yata. I just like to share because it brings so much funny memories and nakakabwiset ones . Mga tipong nakakagalit, because let's face it: kapag may nag agrabyado sa kaibigan mo, mas galit ka kesa sakanya. Friend: Alam mo ba wala pa kaming isang linggong hiwalay ni *name of person* naging sila na pala nung palaka niyang jowa! F: grabe! F: nakakaasar F: Chinat ko si *name of person* kahapon sa sobrang inis ko F: Tapos pag gising ko, okay na ko. Me: Sumagot ba? F: Oo. F: Ito sabi ko, wait F: Ang hirap ng naka laptop ha. ( chatting using laptop si bakla) F: di ako sanay Me: Nakakagigil. Leche. Kaibigan ko din naman si *name of person* pero ang tigas ng sayad niya. F: Langya ka pag ka break pala natin naging kayo na ni *name of new girl* agad. Wala pa isang linggo grabe ka naman F: ( her reply to me ) Kaya nga. Wala man lang respeto diba. Tanginers. F: ( The guy's reply)  Kahit naging kami man agad. Ik

Friend: Nalulungkot ako Me: Bakit? Me: Ano ba kinakalungkot mo? Me: Si *name of person*? F: Oo F: Ewan ko affected  ako. Kakainis Me: Sige lang, ganun talaga. Syempre di naman kagad mawawala yun. F: Hay nako sana pera na lang. F: Bakit parang di naman siya kina-karma sa mga ginawa niya sakin? Me: Isipin mo nalang di mo naman deserve yun. F: Kaya nga. Gold digger  kala mo gwapo F: Napapagod na ko na ganito. Everytime  na lang na may ganap sila ng jowa niyang frog  [kino- contact niya ako] nasasaktan ako. Me: You have a good heart. Nasayang lang dun. Hayaan mo, pasasaan pa at magugunaw din ang mundo 'Di pa rin naman nagugunaw ang mundo pero at least  masaya na siya kahit papaano.    

Kuya Denz, this needs a lot of getting used to. You see, I don't open up any of my problems to you, you just know. Now, how can I stay strong when you are now gone and definitely not coming back? I'm so lost. There's a lot of pressure. I'm under a lot of stress. Lots and lots of it. I don't know where to put my mind next. I'm not happy. I try to be. But as you know it, it's not easy and calling it hard is an understatement. You know when you got married, I felt like I was going to be second, or even third. But I was wrong. You never made me feel like I'm last, you made me feel like I'm part of something more. Now, I always try to fit in. I don't feel like first. I always feel like I always have to earn it when I actually know I deserve it. I'm at a lost. I feel like I'm going to self-destruct. I felt like I should've used my brain more since I claim to be smart.  We miss you so much. Every single time. It's still unbelievable. If