2020

Hello. It’s been a bizarre time in the world. Never would’ve imagined that a month-long lockdown would be the reason I go back to this website. We’re currently on day 36, with almost 2.5 million people around the world infected with COVID-19. I used to ask my friends what cinematic universe they’d want to live in but the catch is they can only be regular citizens. So if they chose Harry Potter, they would be a muggle (lol). Or if they chose to live in the Marvel universe, they’d be one of the people running away from the destruction and chaos. Now it feels like the world has entered an alternate universe and we’re all just bystanders as we wait for this story to unfold.

2020’s been leaving a lot of casualties in its wake. Literally and figuratively - with the year starting off with the Australian wildfires and Taal volcano eruption. To say the year’s been pretty bleak would be an understatement. I know it’s a very sensitive time for everyone right now. Too much positivity can be seen as toxic while depressing sentiments, defeatist. At an unprecedented time like this, we all just need to be a little bit more forgiving, a tad more understanding. Not just to others but to ourselves as well. We are all going through a collective traumatic experience and no one knows how to cope. Everyone’s just trying to do the best they can.

As for myself, I suppose I am teetering to the side of positivity. It’s honestly a confusing feeling. I’m grateful to be fortunate enough to enjoy this free time the virus has given all of us. But this “free time” is at the cost of so many people struggling. I do recognise that we live in a paradoxical world and that my gratitude in no way celebrates the suffering of others. I guess this is where being kinder to yourself comes in. I know that all of this is out of our hands (unless you’re a medical scientist and you discover the vaccine. Please someone crack this virus soon!!) and the only thing we can do is take things a day at a time and help each other in any way we can.

So today, I decided to compile all the little joys I have found throughout the past month living in quarantine. A list I’ll continue to update until the lockdown is lifted. I hope by the time you read this, future Camille, you still notice the magic and little wonders in the everyday. Don’t wait for another global pandemic to appreciate all of this.

1. Kitchen experiments

2. Redecorating and finding sanctuary in my own space

3. Witnessing the Narra tree bloom outside my window. I’ve lived here for 2 years now and I never noticed! I was completely awestruck to wake up to this. It bloomed overnight! And it only lasted for a day. Nature is amazing.

4. Friends who curate a special playlist just for you, to help you with what you’re going through. Shoutout to my girl, Bea. This one was cathartic for me. It opened a flood gate and served as a catalyst for me to find my peace of mind.

5 - 6. Clingy Cúddles and Zoom parties

7. PUPPIES!!!

8. Realising I just might have a green thumb after all

9. Remotely watching the Studio Ghibli catalog on Netflix with my bear friends.
EDIT: All done!! Completed on 5/26/20

10. Rediscovering a much loved world

11. Waking up to this Cúlit boi everyday

12. This song

13. RPDR S12, Untucked, Secret Celebrity, and All Stars giving me life every Saturday #TeamGigi

14. My bestie, Bianca, sending over surprise deliveries. Meet my newest plant child!

15. Random Facetime/Zoom calls especially ones that involve virtual magic and pets

16. Online courses - Business of Fashion, Masterclass, Domestika and Coursera kept me busy the past 2 months

17. Cici and Fifi’s cinematic education - Zoe and I are going through this Fifties movies list, Sixties, Seventies, Eighties, Nineties + our own curated lists and a bunch of off-list movies, as well as movies from the Wizarding World, Middle Earth, The MCU and Star Wars galaxy. This one might have to be a year-long challenge unless the quarantine period goes on longer.

EDIT: Closing this cinematic list on 4 January 2021, after 8 full months of binge-watching. A total of 580 movies, 1118 hours and 58 minutes. I don’t think I’ll ever do this again. lol

18. This pup portrait of my babies 🥰

19. Taho

20. My Pinterest boards

21. This new rendition of Better Together by Jack Johnson himself. If love were a song, this is what it would sound like.

22. The rain - a welcome reprieve from this year’s sweltering summer heat

23. Bing and all her (successful) attempts at satisfying my random food cravings throughout this ECQ. Like pho and bibimbap! Currently eating mango sticky rice as I write this 🤤

24. Revisiting the Before series and finding new meaning and depth to the film. Hits so close to home.

25. Witnessing a new dawn of space. What an exciting time for science!

And now that Metro Manila has transitioned to GCQ (on June 1 and after 77 days of quarantine), I’d like to close this list with the most vital thing that has gotten me through this most difficult time - my family and friends. They constantly made their presence felt despite the challenges the quarantine posed and reminded me who I am especially on the days that I seem to have lost myself and forgotten. 

To quote this season of drag race, I’m that bitch.