I was browsing through a thousand photos that I have just transferred from my memory card and sorted them according to the places I've been to when I said to myself, "my 20-year old self would be so envious of me".

She was a carefree, adventurous, and spirited young girl but the chains of digital age caught her. She got herself locked up and enslaved in a virtual world. Many of you would describe her as a video game addict. Yes, that typical gamer who'd resist the urge to use a toilet and deal with it for as long as she can. She allowed the video games to control and take over her life. And for years, she turned into a zombiefied no-lifer girl who merely existed for rare drops and +7s.

I've done several river crossings and canyoning before. And not one of them have I worn a proper footwear. I used to be so proud wearing my trusted hiking shoes - waterproof and all. But on occasions, I've had these futile attempts to keep my shoes dry. I turn to a different route or look for another way. I would avoid crossings that are already ankle deep at all cost to save me the trouble of wearing a heavy bucketful of water on my feet. But of course, that's not always the case.

Sometimes, I'd wear sandals because it's more comfortable and lighter than a hiking shoes. Plus, I don't have to think twice about wading into the water and getting my feet wet. But since I can be clumsy too, I've had blisters and injured a toe or two with it.

But these days, I'm no longer worried about taking on any water adventure because I have this:

I've taken a lot of buses in my travels. But the most memorable one happened three years ago today when I sat next to a guy on the way home from Gumasa, Glan.

His name is Jan and we had a little conversation—the first real one we ever had two months since I came in as the new Software Designer in the company we previously worked with. It wasn't exactly the kind of conversation that will get you butterflies in the stomach. There isn't much to remember what it was about either. God knows what broke the ice because he's the shy type and I'm not the one who'd initially strike a conversation. But something got us talking that it felt we've known each other for a long time. It was so spontaneous and natural. And the next thing we knew, time flew. It was already 3 hours later.

Bang late!

How to be u po?

That's one of the comments I often receive whenever I post something on Facebook or sometimes here on my blog. I'm not a celebrity or something. But I believe every blogger, regardless of the number of followers, has certainly experienced the same.

Not that I think our readers and followers worship our curated and seasoned lives on social media. But then, I think it's fun to answer that infamous question once and for all.

How to be me nga ba?  Here are 39 ways:

Our trip to Bacolod has long been planned when Jan and I were invited last February by our Tito Juju to his birthday climb at Kampo Hiyang-hiyang in Talisay, Negros Occidental. Prior to the trip, a Bacolodnon friend tipped us about the places to go and food to eat. He said that Bacolod's specialty are sweets because the people in Bacolod are naturally sweet. And true to his words, I can say everything in Bacolod is indeed sweet... especially the beer.

The beer brewed in Bacolod definitely tastes better than any beer brewed anywhere in the country. But I won't talk about beer here because Bacolod offers more than that.

DAY 1: CALEA PASTRIES AND CAKE, NENA'S ROSE CHICKEN INASAL

Even though I do not have a sweet tooth, I have to try Bacolod's Calea Pastries and Cake. Jan ordered Chocolate Square (upper right), while I ordered Raspberry Cream Cheese (lower right) and it did not disappoint dahil naubos ko! :)