The Question Book (Part 4 of Plenty) : House & Home
HOUSE AND HOME
(Part 4 of Plenty of my answers to The Question Book.)
3 months after graduating from the university, I left home and flew to Taipei, Taiwan to sign up for my first job. Then a month after, I flew to Chennai, India for my first job assignment as a Web QA and translator. I was 20.
Do you prefer living alone or with somebody else?
If I counted it right, I have lived alone for about 8 years in total. And I missed it. 😢
I liked living alone because I would rarely "misplace" my stuff coz I'll find it wherever I dropped it last. Nobody would pick my stuff up or use them and place them somewhere I can't find (not deliberate, of course). I mostly have a place for everything in an organized chaos kind of way because I hate not finding what I need. I can also be as messy or as clean as I want to be. As they say, my mess is better than your mess. 😜 I can also walk around in just my panties or an old t-shirt not caring about modesty. Nobody's noise can wake me up which means I can sleep as long as I want without being disturbed.
I guess I'm missing living alone now because I've been cohabitating with my brother for the past several years. Sometimes I yearn to have my space all to myself. Him being on the night shift and me being on day shift work helps because I have the place to myself while he's at work and vice versa. But it's the chores that didn't get done and our combined laziness to do so that irks me sometimes. I do get several weeks of living alone here and there when my investment condo's lease expires and is in the transition to be leased out again. I think of it as a staycation whenever I stay over there. It's a welcome change to have a place all to myself even if it's just temporary.
There are perks of having my brother live with me, but I just miss living alone right now. 😭
Think about all the people you have ever lived with.
Who was your best roommate?
Girls. Any of my room/housemates who are girls. My housemate, while I was working in India, named Satya who taught me how to cook bindhi masala and Indian rice pudding. 😋 My cousin, Kim who was my side-kick on our food hunting adventures. 🐷 And Janna, my high school classmate turned roommate for a year before she got married. 👰Without her reaching out to me to ask me to share a condo with her in Makati (where my work was), it would've taken me longer to move near where I work. I would've just endured the 1.5 hrs commute each way to and from work because I was living in Binondo back then. 😅
Who was your worst roommate?
Boys. Well, "boy". My brother. Hahaha! His being a slob only adds to my slobbiness. Making things slobbier, which is not good. 😜
Which of your friends could you imagine sharing an apartment or house with?
I'm really at the point where I would like to live alone. So the answer is NONE of them. But I wouldn't mind living in the same compound with them. That would be nice.
I saw a video about a group of 6-8 girlfriends who decided to buy a property together and built a vacation home. So they regularly get together there bringing their hubbies and babies along. I think that would be nice. Beach house? Definitely. If only we're all financially capable to set aside some funds for it. Adulting ain't easy, ya see. 😅
What percentage of your income do you spend on rent/mortgage?
19% of my salary goes to the payment of my mortgage. 💸 Plus, 100% of my rental income which I set aside to pay it off earlier to get out of mortgage debt. 🤑 Like I said, adulting is hard. 😅 But I'm keeping my eyes on the goal of being FIRE 🔥(financially independent, retire early).
The nicest home you've ever lived in:
Nicest in terms of space, my first property that I bought from my aunt-in-law and her brother. It was the Binondo condo where I lived when I first came to Manila to find a job. It was a 3 bedroom, 2 baths condo. 96sqm with a parking space.
Nicest in terms of location and aesthetics, the condo unit that my folks recently bought in BGC. I staycationed there for almost 2 months in total before it got leased out. It has a very nice view of a golf course 🏌and low-rise tree-lined 🌳 residential area with the Makati skyline 🌆on the horizon. It's so relaxing to just look at that view on sunrise or sunset with a cup of tea 🍵 or coffee in hand. And I certainly did enjoy doing that while it lasted.
The nicest town you've lived in:
What is your fave street in your town?
Forbestown Road. Because it's where I live and I just love the convenience of having almost everything I need nearby. From grocery 🛒 to pharmacy 💊 to hardware store 🛠 to banks 💰 to dentist 🦷 to restaurants 🍽 to spa 💆 just steps away.
Where is your fave place in your home?
Living room. Unbeknownst to many, I sleep on the sofabed 🛋 in my living room. My brother sleeps in the bedroom 🛏. My condo unit only has 1 bedroom. And I prefer to sleep in the living room because that's where the TV 📺 is which I need to fall asleep. I put the TV on the timer and turn the volume down enough to still hear it and switch to the documentary channel and watch it until I fall asleep. 😴 The TV noise drowns out the ramblings in my hyperactive mind. 😬
2 things that you like about your home :
Location (feels like Singapore 🇸🇬 in terms of security 👮 & cleanliness 🧹) and convenience.
2 things that you dislike about your home :
Never enough space. Not enough sunlight through the windows since my unit is facing inward at the courtyard that is surrounded by the other condo towers.
Describe your dream home :
A more spacious, interior designed condo unit with a nice view of nature or at least some greens 🌳 or cityscape 🌆 or beach 🏖. Minimalist even. I yearn to have a sense of hygge 🕯 at my home.
How would you like to live in old age?
I would like to live in my dream home as described above. With a reputable and reliable hospital 🏥 not so far away just in case, I need it with my old age 👵 ailments.
Where do you feel at home?
As cluttered 😬 as my home currently is, it is my home. 😜
And also at my mom & dad's home in Davao. 👴👵
Mark on the line below : What are you?
chaotic <-------------------------X---------------------------------------------------------> tidy
X marks the spot. 😅 Bless this mess! 🤪
Would you like to be different?
Yes. I would love to adopt minimalism to some level. Clutter-free.
Why have you not yet succeeded?
I need to do some Marie Kondo shit on the my clutters. 😬
Unfortunately, my brother is such a hoarder and doesn't see eye to eye with Marie. 😑
How many times a year do you get final demands for unpaid bills?
I have delegated the payment of water and electric bills to my brother. While I take care of the rest which I pay on time. Once the paycheck comes in, I pay all the bills right away. 💸 Bills bills bills. 😭
Household :
Do you always wash up right away?
Cups and plates that I used, yes.
Rice cooker and the cups and plates the brother used, no.
Do you vacuum every week?
No. Sweeping happens when inspiration strikes. 🧹 But I make sure anything that should be in the trash are in the trash.
Do you have a cleaner?
I used to have someone clean my place at least once a month.
But hasn't done it in the past years because I think it's useless if there's too much clutter that the cleaners cannot touch and only has to work around.
De-cluttering must be done first. Can't wait until my annual spring cleaning which is usually every January. Need to thank many of my stuff and let them go sooner than later.
Need my brother to do the same.
Do you do your own ironing?
Nope. I mostly buy clothes 👗 that don't need ironing. When you're lazy, you gotta be smart like that. 😆
Do you clean your windows at least once a year?
They get cleaned when it rains. 🤣
When the toilet paper is finished, do you immediately install a new roll?
Yes. Because my "peace of mind" 🧻🚽depends on it. 😝
Do you tidy your home before visitors come?
I'm not the type who likes entertaining guests. 😬
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