Work-from-home essentials

⚠️These are very uncertain and uncomfortable times.

✔️Let's all #staysafe as we navigate through the process of growing comfortable with working from home.

✔️We can never be too careful. So don't forget to wear your masks, sanitize and be careful when getting your essentials.

🌠🌠🌠

These are my work-from-home essentials. For a third-world country such as mine, these "essentials" are a privilege but are also good for mental health.

1. A dedicated workspace

This is putting boundaries from the rest of the spaces in your house. You are training your mind that you only work there. It's not for eating or watching Netflix.

Of course, this could be hard if you live with your family and there is only one room or none at all.

The beauty of remote work is we can work anywhere. These days, more and more co-working spaces are being established. We can utilize those options especially if we are working with generous clients.

2. A computer

Desktop or Laptop, anything works. And a mouse, especially if you are designing. Surely, this is the most essential tool. These are the usual requirements these days:

Or a tablet with the pen but if you don't have it, the mouse will do. 😉

3. A good internet connection

4. Video conferencing and chat apps

Usually, most companies that are not output-based use their own apps to track the progress and time of their remote employees. We don't and can't meet each other face to face. Some of our clients are from other countries. This is very self-explanatory. In this day and age, remote work and working from anywhere is possible.

5. Earphones or headset

I use mine when editing audio and videos for better hearing quality. I live in a loud neighborhood. Using these devices minimizes and manages unnecessary stressors.

6. SELF-DISCIPLINE AND A HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE MINDSET

Let's use our time and resources well. 

Fire and Blood

 

Season 2 of the House of the Dragons has already aired. We are on episode 4 as of the writing of this blog where Princess Rhaenys Targaryen volunteered to defend the Rook's Rest and there she died behind her dragon Meleys.

Since June, I have been curious about the origins of the shows I have been watching. Ever since I have read Anne of Green Gables and Little Women, which I have reenacted in a play during my years in elementary, I have been obsessed about finding out the true story behind it. What the authors really wrote in the book.

Episode 5 is coming out on Sunday and will air on Monday in the Philippines. Consequently, I have finished Fire and Blood last night and decided to write about my experience and what this book has revealed to me.

Fire and Blood was set 300 years before Game of Thrones. This was during the conquest of King Aegon Targaryen I all the way to the reign of King Aegon Targaryen III, some years after the Dying of the Dragons where Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, firstborn daughter and known heir to the throne of King Viserys Targaryen I, and King Aegon Targaryen II, fought and divided the realm to take the Iron Throne. These chapters were the inspiration for the House of the Dragons.

Worthy to note that all of them were Targaryens. Duh?

Anyway, here are my observations:

• Like Princess Rhaenys, daughter of King Jaehaerys I, dying behind her dragon Meleys, Queen Rhaenys I, sister wife to Aegon I, also died when her dragon, Meraxes died.
• I can't understand why they are so obsessed with the Iron Throne. The throne will also kill or maim the occupant. King Viserys I and Princess Rhaenyra were always bleeding after they had sat on the Iron Throne.
• Everyone was so obsessed with how great Aegon The Conqueror was that every generation of Targaryen had a firstborn son named Aegon. If Maegor had a son, surely he would name it Aegon too.
• It became viral that the 3 dragon eggs shown in episode 3 of the House of the Dragons brought by Princess Rhaena to the Vale, together with Joffrey Velaryon and his dragon Tyraxes, Aegon III and his dragon, Stormcloud, and Viserys II with his dragon egg, were Daenerys' dragons were also Dreamfyre's eggs. This isn't true because, in Chapter 9, all 3 of these eggs hatched in Dragonstone, the ancient seat of the Targaryens. There was no Dragonpit in King's Landings yet. It could've been Vhagar's, Syrax's or Silverwing's.
• Daenerys Targaryen (Game of Thrones) was not the first of her name. King Jaehaerys and Queen Alyssanne's first-born daughter was named Daenerys Targaryen and lived until 6 years old,
• Princess Rhaenys had black hair because she was a Baratheon. She was the daughter of Lady Jocelyn Baratheon, daughter of Queen Alyssa, mother of King Jaehaerys I and Queen Alyssanne, from her second marriage to Lord Rogar Baratheon, and Prince Aemon, 2nd son of King Jaehaerys and Queen Alyssanne.
• Addam could have been a Targaryen bastard, not a Velaryon since he's a dragon rider. He's about to ride Seasmoke. It could not have been Laenor because the realm knows he can't have a son. It could not have been Lord Corlys. The Velaryons, though the blood of Old Valyria, we're not dragon riders. 
• Damn! That fight between Aemon with Vhagar, and Daemon with Caraxes, should happen in the House of the Dragons.
• SPOILER ALERT! Aegon II's dragon, Sunfyre ate Rhaenyra in front of her son Aegon III.

Dying of the Dragons was divided into 6 chapters of Fire and Blood and also the most depressing parts of this book. This explains why there were no more dragons in Westeros until Daenerys (Game of Thrones) came with her three dragons which were gifted to her during her wedding to Khal Drogo.

Seasmoke, Tessarion and Vermithor died in the battle at Tumbleton when they fought with each other. Some were saying Tessarion and Seasmoke were doing a mating dance instead of fighting

So many dragons died but especially in Chapter 17, when the greens (King Aegon II's supporters) paraded Meley's head, the smallfolk lost respect and terror for the dragons and the Targaryens. That could explain why Queen Rhaenyra was easily overthrown, especially by that Shepherd who was saying that Westeros was cursed because of the incest and sins of the Targaryens.

Since the dragons were chained in the dragonpit, they couldn't fly away. Shrykos was the first dragon to succumb, and then Morghul. They were hatchlings from Dreamfyre. Tyraxes was next. And then Dreamfyre. Syrax didn't to escape the wrath of the drunken rage from the small folks. Someone jumped on her back and pierced her. That was the end of the known dragons.

Stormcloud died after safely delivering King Aegon III (when he was still a boy) to his mother Queen Rhaenyra, with broken wings.

Sunfyre fought with Grey Ghost. Sheepstealer was last seen at Storm's End. Moondancer fought with Sunfyre and died, which broke King Aegon II's feet, then died after a few days.

I have no idea what happened to Princess Rhaena's dragon, Morning which just hatched during King Aegon III's reign.

When the dream of "Working from Anywhere" became "Work from Home"

Even before the pandemic started, I was used to working from anywhere. I love having my alone time. I like doing things alone. I never got bored of spending time alone. I was never lonely alone. I would prefer being by myself than spending meaningless time with someone. Other than my now partner, of course. I love it when it is only us together in comfortable silence.

I could not stand being in crowded places. I only go to the mall if I have a definite reason to be there. I would always choose the high-end malls because there are no crowds and few people shop there. Since I don't go out often, I have the money to splurge.

Then the pandemic hit us all. My partner was stuck in Cebu without work. I worked at the City Government as a Legislative Staff. She could not go home since there was a lockdown and inter-island and inter-state travel were banned.

Working from anywhere is my ultimate goal. Working with this view.

Purple people

I saw this TikTok video where a girl showed the purple things she bought when she became an adult and I remember all the purple things I wanted to buy back when I was young, when I become an adult too.

Purple is my favorite color too. Back then, I wanted a purple Macbook. A college friend (Jhong) pledged that he would buy me one when he became a CPA. He did become one but the promise never materialised. And of course, we were young and full of dreams then.

I saw this exact color of Macbook as I was reviewing for the bar at a Starbucks in 2016 and I thought I would become a lawyer next year so I'll be able to buy it. But I know now that after several tries, I'm still not a lawyer and I haven't bought anything purple yet.

My problem now lies with how will all my devices communicate? Apple will only communicate with Apple.

For years, I have always been using Android devices and Windows  OS computers. I am partial with Samsung and LG.

But I don't know if I ever will.

This is the problem with me. I have a lot of uncertainties. I'll be turning 35 this year, but I am not certain of what I want. I am certain of the things that I don't want and I know what I need. But sometimes, these just make me feel powerless and make my goals unattainable. What are really my goals?