Do we still call freelance jobs “raket” these days? Or did we already leave this term in the 2010s?

Perhaps we already did, as I don’t hear it being used as much by Gen Zs and the in-betweeners of their gen’s and the millennial’s. And since it’s already ingrained in my own Gen X’s culture, it has evolved into “So, ano’ng ginagawa mo ngayon?” or “Saan ka na?” if they know you’re not gainfully employed full-time in one company. There’s also “Saan ka busy ngayon?” or “Ano ka na now?” as alternatives to the what-are-you-doing variant. These are the ways I’ve noticed when people ask me what I do now, ever since the pandemic happened. Because we know how one too many facelifts and reinventions happened during those dark, dark days. So the concept of “hustling” or “freelancing” or “having rakets” have somewhat faded to the background. At least, in my known circles. And I only encounter the term “hustle” from people who are gainfully employed somewhere but want to augment their income some more. I hate that term, by the way, since it sounds like you’d do any dirty deed just to get extra money. But that’s a personal view, of course. Use it as you please.

So it’s the start of the birthday month, nearly half is over before we know it, and Metro Manila is already baking in the summer heat for days now. I apologize, mother earth, but during these days, I am glad I furnished my condo unit with aircons. Yes, plural, one for my bedroom and one here in my writing nook-library-home office. And my perimenopausal self is thanking my thirtysomething self of thinking of this life add-on. Hot flashes is a bitch, I tell ya.

So, other than the summer heat cooking us all up, how have you folks been? As for me, pretty busy. With living life and carpe diem-ing the fuck out of it. And also immersing in new-ish industries that I’m finding myself excelling at, as usual. Yabang aside, but if I put my mind to it, I can achieve it naman. I’ve always been proud of that about myself — ‘yung may disiplina ka, may professionalism, may curiosity, and most of all, may willingness to learn and be taught by people who know better. Having a work ego is so Boomer, don’t you think? Especially those who are not rank and file, medyo mahirap pa rin sa kanilang mag-adjust sa digital times. Iba talaga ang Gen X sa larangan na ‘yan. We’re always willing to give things a try.

So here we are. Trying to blog again lol. Joke. Bumili-bili pa ko ng domain, di ko naman nagagawa ito hahaha. Or perhaps my mind+mood is still trying to adjust to life outside that processing them on the inside takes an awful amount of time lately. Bala-balanse rin ng energies, I suppose. And maybe timing lang din. When the timing is right, tipa lang.

Like right now.

Well, perhaps this is another practice piece. Ang dami kong gustong sabihin at isulat pero hindi humahabol ang utak, kamay at katawan ko para mailabas ito these past few years. Or maybe I’m also still healing from things that broke me the past decade. Maybe that’s it. But seeing how I can sit here again, in front of my jot machines, and spew out words I don’t want my mouth to utter but my brain tells me to splat them out of my system, well, that’s a start. Anything is a start. So this counts.

This is a start. Or restart.

Yeah, restart. Since I got this space to refresh things, let’s restart things na rin, for that matter.

Why the hell not.

Just sharing a few thoughts here before I start my work day at night. Yeah, I find myself more peacefully working after lunch, specifically mid-to-late afternoon, up until a little past midnight. Parang mas mapayapang magtrabaho for me during those times lately. So I just heed and let my body and brain dictate my schedule. Sakto naman sa remote work life ko, so happy lang.

So here we are again, blogging. Sanayan lang ‘yan ulit. Like riding a bike.

Let’s take this out for a spin, shall we, Bayli?

We shall. ☮️🧡🧘🏾