One year as Little Miss Independent

01 October 2009

The sun has shone again.. Life goes on.

I wasn't really in the mood to blog today but I guess I should, just to mark one special milestone in my life. Today, my friends, marks the first year of my independence. Yep, I moved out of my parents' house exactly a year ago! Beat that, all you people who made a bet that I won't last a few months! (And you call yourself my friends?? :D)

I didn't think my parents would agree to my leaving home. After all, even though I am not an only child (I am the eldest, can you believe it? Even I myself sometimes can't LOL) my parents still treated me as if I am the dainty, fragile one (and yeah, maybe I am). And to think I do not know how to cook! (But don't worry, I do know how to clean the house and wash dishes.) I mean, what would I eat? I possibly cannot subsist on takeout or instant noodles alone! Or can I? I really didn't think they would agree. So what I did was I looked for a house first with my would-be housemates Asther and Ruther and paid my share before I broke the news to them. When I did I could almost hear their braincells thinking of a way to get my crazy ideas out of my head, but after a couple of rebuttals and me promising I would take care of myself and I would not let myself be pregnant out of wedlock (haha!) they were sold! They even helped me move. Well, maybe they just wanted to see where I would live and ensure I am not running away to elope :D

Asther, Ruther, Chao and I lived together harmoniously for seven months (we even called our apartment The RACK's) before Ruther and Chao decided to live somewhere else that would be more convenient for them. A 3-bedroom apartment is too big for Asther and me so we looked for a better place. And we found one! Moving was easy as well because it was also in the same subdivision. We now live in a studio apartment we call our pad. I actually like this pad better since it's on the 3rd floor - therefore the temperature is cooler and the view, especially of the sunset, is just wow - and the amenities are better.

So much has happened since then, and as I look back on the photos collected over the past year  (and believe me, I have a LOT!) I cannot help but smile. I might not have learned how to cook (yet!), but I have learned a great deal of other things. Like angelfishes cannot live with goldfishes in the same aquarium because they will die after just two days. Or that laundromats impose a minimum so even if you brought just 3kgs worth of dirty clothes to be laundered they will still charge you for 5kgs. Or that  the two hours it takes me to commute to and from Navotas everyday for work is really tiring and so now I should be thankful because I only need at least 20 minutes to commute from our pad and that I can use all those extra hours for other productive things - like reading books or watching DVDs (hey, they are productive because by doing them I enrich my mind! :D) But these are just scratching the surface. The lessons I learned by being independent deserves another blog entry :)


glorious view of the sunset from our third floor flat
how can you not love that?


me with my housemate Asther


let me share a photo of my pet bichir fishes Aziraphale and Anathema (you may also call them Yin and Yang :D)
today is also their 5th month with me :)

And yes, I can subsist on takeout or instant noodles alone! Today also marks a year wherein half of it I did not eat dinner :D

***
Relief operations for victims of Typhoon Ondoy are still ongoing. Click here for a comprehensive Google spreadsheet on how we can help. Likewise let us pray for the victims of the earthquake in Indonesia and tsunami in Samoa. It is really awful and I do hope we won't get any of these again anytime soon :(

17 comments

  1. Kudos to you for declaring independence! I have lived alone during my college days but now I'm back at our house. :)

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  2. Congratulations on the awesome first year as an independent adult! I'm still stuck with the parents myself (hahaha sucks, I know), but I hope to have as great an experience as you had when I do move out. :D

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  3. hey sweetie!! m living alone too!! and its been just 5 months.. but am loving every second of it!!

    I have something special for u in my blog!! do see!!

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  4. I like this post! It made me remember the early days at my old apartment in Quezon City. I didn't have a stove right away and I actually boiled eggs (and at some point, noodles-->fail) using my an airpot from my lola.

    Congrats on your first year of 'independence.' :)

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  5. @ Nina: Thank you! You lived alone when you were in college? Wow, I couldn't have done that! I was too much of a sissy back then! :D

    @ Angie: Thank you so much! Hmm maybe I am only 5/7 independent because I still go to my parents' house on my rest days? :D

    @ Deeps: Thank you so much for the award, you're so sweet! Happy 5th month of being independent, enjoy! :)

    @ Ms Mariel: Oh wow, thank you so much for visiting my blog, I am so honored! I am a fan, and your response brightened up my day :) There are many things I still have to learn and I have a long way to go, but right now I am enjoying and loving every moment of this 'independence' :)

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  6. Ack! I keep forgetting I'm old enough to be called 'Ms.' hahaha! Yup, I replied to your comment over at my blog :) You're welcome and thanks for dropping by there, too! I find your blog so cute!

    Living alone (or even with roommates) teaches you so many things. And it's super fun in the sense you get to make your own decisions, and be responsible for them as well. In turn, you become more discerning of the choices you make :)

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  7. Yay congrats to you! I've been independent for 10 years so I guess I never really notice the enjoyable details now. But reading this made me look back on how fun it was the first few years. It's still fun now, by the way. Haha

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  8. congrats to you independent girl! :-)

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  9. @ Ms Mariel: Oh no I am not implying that you are old, it's just that I am not exactly comfortable addressing people I look up to with just their first names :D Thank you so much for linking my blog, I cannot tell you how honored and flattered I am :) I know exactly what you mean with enhancing my decision-making skills! Before, I relied too much on my parents and spent my money away, thinking that they will always be there to hand me some cash when I need it, but now that I am living far away from them, asking for money is not really convenient and readily accessible, therefore I really learned how to budget :D Maybe that made me sound superficial, but you get my drift :D

    @ Meream: Thank you! I am so jealous that you get to design your apartment according to your taste and preferences; it is against our contract to post anything on the walls! Bummer I know, so what I did was I designed a corkboard that is now hanging on the bathroom door :D

    @ Lizzie: Thank you so much! :)

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  10. congatulations!im so ingget to people who have tried (and survived) independence! even though you still have to learn how to cook, you still made it!

    hopefully ill be able to do it asap. (so as not to called a mamas boy anymore.lol)

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  11. When I was in uni, I was living on my own as well, and I really miss it! big time!!! :P

    I'm glad you liked the new blog layout!
    *loves*

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  12. @ manik_reigun: Thank you! :) My main reason for doing this is to be nearer my workplace, and I am happy I did. Now regarding the cooking thing, I'm sure I will get to it one of these days :D

    @ Toothfairynotes: That must be fun! I cannot see myself living alone when I was still studying :D Oh, I wish I know how to tweak my own layout :)

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  13. Wow congratualations! Ive been planning on doing that but uh well first of well I dont work hahaha. It just sounds like a good idea, id love to try and live on my own. I think i'll learn so much from it. And its inevitable anyway, one day you will leave your parents and live on your own. Better prepare hahha

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  14. Thank you Sush! Yep that is also what I had in mind when I asked for my parents' permission :) I am not a little girl anymore so I hafta learn to take care of myself :)

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  15. I was about your age when I started living away from my parents (bec work requires it). One thing i noticed is that being independent allows one to manage his/her finances better bec. there are (now) bills to pay. Also, it's just liberating without curfew to worry and scary at times when one starts missing family. In the long run, one will get used to it.

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  16. hello krissy i just enjoy reading your blogs, i found you through little miss dress up's blogspot. and thought wow a very amazing and sunny girl has amazing thoughts to share.

    thanks for sharing your stories with the world. and i hope you wont mind if i follow you here and i hope you wont mind if you will as well. thanks and hope you are doing well.

    and btw i also use parenthesis and yes they are convenient haha.

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  17. @ amor: I agree about the curfew thing, as in you don't have to worry about getting scolded if you go home late XD I'm a good girl though, and work early so I can never afford to go out late. Besides, I am not a fan :) And yes, I do miss my family when I'm not home, but I've learned to get used to it :)

    @ annie marie: Aww thank you so much for your kind words! You are so sweet! :)

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