Deadlines By Day, A Blood Moon By Night: The Kind Of Monday I'm Learning To Love

Monday has started just days later, and it was a frustrating start for me to complete my tasks and attend classes as a college student. But even if days are getting busier, not worse, I still appreciate the lifestyle I have now. I am all about study, work, and trips, which I enjoy now because my weekends mean a simple trip to somewhere relaxing. But on weekdays, my life is all about academics. I give enough attention to this part of my life so I can balance everything well as an adult. This is also my biggest investment, and just one year more and I will be holding that diploma and credentials. Just for now, I do well in college to not lose what I am saving up for long before.

Yesterday, I attended a meeting in my college's organization of student journalists as part of our semestral meeting to plan, decide, and assign tasks for the next publication release this second semester. Our main campus was declared unsafe until now because of the 6.9 magnitude earthquake, and we have lost our physical office. We now go to school with high school students on their high school campus, and we all became flexible in the institution just to restore continuity in learning. Just a slight vibration of a passing truck can trigger our fear or anxiety that another aftershock might occur anytime.

Since we don't have a physical office, we decided to have our meeting at Uncle Brew Cafe, a popular cozy cafe in Bogo City, great for personal time, meetings, and professional meetups. Since we had to have our meeting for 8 hours, enough to plan everything, we paid for rent and the food we ordered to let the owner allow our meeting there, occupying, although not big, a portion of the cafe. We had our budget requested from the cashier of our school, so we wouldn't have to worry about expenses during the meeting and could just give our pure contribution and ideas for the publication.

We ordered food and drinks when we arrived there. I had my favorite Artisan Chocolate Frappe and their barbecue chicken nuggets. I also love their bacon and egg waffles, but I wanted to eat chicken nuggets yesterday and was craving them for a long time now. We waited for everyone to arrive since some still had their classes and were not able to get excused. I was excused by my major teacher since she understands my role as a student journalist in our university.

The meeting went well, and there were many new members, or junior members as we call them, who attended. All ideas and decisions were based on them since most of the current members are graduating students, meaning I am the only one left, and these new members are the new generation of writers in our publication. We decided the theme of our publication, topics to address or write about, layouting, editorial board, publication procedures, and everything needed. We also had our plans for the upcoming months' celebrations like March's Women's Month and June's Pride Month celebration. Everything was stated and decided, and everyone left the cafe with responsibilities and passion for writing in their arms.

By afternoon, when I got home, until dusk and evening, I was outside our house to witness the lunar eclipse that happened. I am very passionate about eclipses and everything about meteors. I waited long before this eclipse arrived, and we even posted an article about this. Below are some of my shots using my iPhone in our house and at the beach I went to last night to have an undisturbed eclipse watching.

How did you find the eclipse yesterday? Was it stunning and haunting? I find it the latter. Such phenomena give me goosebumps every time they occur. But I am more amazed than getting goosebumps. Moments like this remind me why I continue to look up at the sky even when life feels heavy and uncertain. No matter how busy my days become, I will always find time to pause, look above, and let the universe humble me.