Seven Things: Hello, My Thirties
Things I’ve been enjoying lately as a now-30 year old
I just turned 30 last month. I can’t believe that my twenties are over. But then again, age is just a number.
Given this adage in mind, I would like to think that my twenties were my real teen years. My twenties were spent catching up on the things that I missed out in my teens, like acquiring my sense of I honestly believe that my thirties are my twenties, and that things are going to be better from here on out.
Now that I’m 30, I want to be a braver, kinder, and more self-assured version of myself. You know, the Lea who puts her needs first and treats herself with kindness? I want to be that person. This journey towards self-compassion starts with sharing the things that are bringing me (or have brought me) joy lately. And I have seven of them. Jump to read!
I’m seeing a new therapist!
I’ve been transparent about my mental health journey here, and my healing journey has been full of ups and downs. After almost 7 months of not attending therapy, I finally found a therapist that was relatively accessible and a little more neurodiversity-affirming. I’m enjoying it more compared to my previous therapists, since my therapist has been attentive to my needs, yet respectful of my journey and my autonomy. It’s something that I am immensely grateful for, because this new therapist is much more engaged in figuring out ways where I can cope with my ADHD better. He even made progress notes!
I finally found a sport that I can watch and enjoy (wholeheartedly)
I’m the last person you can count on when it comes to watching sporting events. Even though I have some awareness about the NBA and the UAAP basketball scene, I am a “here for the vibes and school spirit” kind of fan. I only watch Ateneo’s basketball games during the UAAP basketball season, and I only cheer for the Boston Celtics because I just felt like cheering for them. I can’t even talk about the stats and the technicalities.
But thanks to this year’s Olympics, I finally found a sport that I can watch semi-regularly: pole vaulting. And it’s all thanks to the Nation’s Boyfriend, EJ Obiena.
For context, EJ Obiena is one of the best pole vaulters in the world. (He’s the World #4 pole vaulter— think of him as the Coco Gauff of pole vaulting) He’s broken so many records for the Philippines and Asia, and has singlehandedly brought pole vaulting to the consciousness of the madlang people. I am forever grateful for his contributions to the sport, and his efforts during this year’s Olympics made me a big fan of his.
Fangirling feels aside, I enjoy watching pole vaulting because it’s a sport that’s exciting, yet easy to comprehend. Not to mention, the camaraderie between the athletes feels amazing to watch. Anyway, here are some of my favorite pole vaulting moments:
This glorious moment where EJ Obiena beat Mondo Duplantis during the 2022 Memorial Van Damme meet in Brussels - Mondo Duplantis may be the greatest pole vaulter of all time, but seeing EJ take the title in this meet was amazing to watch.
Mondo Duplantis breaking his own record again at the Silesia Pole Vault meet in Poland! His GOAT title is well-deserved. I know people call him the Timothee Chalamet of pole vaulting, but he reminds me of Gru from the Despicable Me franchise…or even Jeremy Allen White.
EJ Obiena and Manolo Karalis getting podium finishes at a pole vault meet in Poland this year. EJ logged in his Season Best at 5.97 m, while Manolo set a national record here. He upped his SB / NR at 6.00 m during the same Silesia meet where Mondo broke his world record. Also, just like many Pinoy pole vault fans / enjoyers, I also admire Manolo and his friendship with EJ. Their friendship is so pure, genuine, and awesome.
I also had a selfie with EJ a couple of weeks ago during the anniversary of Makati’s Car-Free Sundays! He’s such a nice guy and he deserves All The Nice Things in the world. Meeting him also gave me a bit of a motivational boost to do better in the things that I do.
(yes, this is the selfie)
NCT Jaehyun’s solo debut
My love for NCT has already been well-documented in this newsletter, so it’s no surprise that Jaehyun’s solo album is going to be counted as one of my current favorites. Maybe it’s the noona/mother stan in me, but I really admire how Jaehyun was able to translate his creative vision into this album! It’s so cohesive, yet so him. Musically though, I really enjoy a lot of easy listening R&B music, so this is right up my alley.
Anyway, given the recent news about Jaehyun’s upcoming enlistment, I think I’m going to listen to his album on repeat while he’s away from the public eye.
Issy’s Mousse Lip Tints
As a beauty girl, I’ve tried way too many mousse-y lippies. I actually loved Issy’s initial take on this formula, so when the brand announced the relaunch of their mousse tints, I knew I had to get them.
The formula reminds me a lot of Romand’s Blur Fudge Tint but with a bit more grip. I guess It’s not transfer-proof, but it does last through food and drinks. It’s also surprisingly comfortable, despite its finish. My favorite shades from this line are Casual, which is a rosy terracotta shade, and Fixation, which is a pinkish brown shade that can be sheered out to a My-Lips-But-Better (MLBB) color. I’m still thinking about getting the berry color, but I have to finish another lipstick first. Or two.
Sprint
After following EJ Obiena and the pole vaulting scene, I ended up going on a rabbit hole of watching recaps of various track and field meets, as well as consuming various forms of media related to it.
Recently, I watched Sprint, which is a docuseries that gives a look at the lives of the world’s biggest track-and-field athletes, such as Noah Lyles, Gabby Thomas, Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce, and Sha’Carri Richardson. Throughout the show, you see them compete in meets like the Diamond League and the World Championships, while also showing their lives outside of track. You can also see commentaries from track legends like Usain Bolt, Michael Johnson, and Allyson Felix, where they analyze and explain the impact of the athletes’ records, the meets they compete in, the rivalries that arise among athletes, and the legacy that these athletes are cementing in the process.
As for my impressions of the show, I found the show’s pace to be exponentially better than Drive to Survive! It’s also a little more entertaining than its F1 counterpart, especially with the soundbites and editing. I’m looking forward to season two in November.
Strava
If you’re chronically online like me, there’s a chance that you might have encountered this article about Strava being an alternative to dating apps. Or those memes.
I drank the Strava kool-aid two months ago and I have been a regular user of the app ever since. Strava is actually one of the reasons why I upgraded my fitness watch and phone. I needed to track my exercises more accurately, and Samsung’s devices are compatible with the app.
Geekery aside, I mainly use the app to track my walks. Seeing my progress being reflected in the app is comforting, especially when it comes to my relationship with exercise and body image. There are some days where I can push my personal best, while there are some days where it’s okay to walk half a kilometer or even less, just as long as I move my body. Anyway, I’m still waiting for the day where I can gain a friend through Strava or even a walking date, lmao.
Seventeen’s Spill the Feels Club
I’m a 30-year old teenager who’s a sucker for cute stuff, and this newest set of teasers (?) for Seventeen’s latest comeback is giving me so much life. It also plays into the new anik-anik craze that people are getting into these days. As for my favorite characters in this miniseries of sorts, mine are the Moon triplets, Chandalee, and Foxdungee!
I’m sorry if this installment felt rushed. This has been sitting in the drafts for over a month now, and I only got around to completing this roundup only yesterday! Please be kind.
Until the next brain dump,
Lea