100 for Daanbantayan, Cebu

I dispatched 100 earsavers to Rural Health Units 1 and 2 at Daanbantayan, Cebu earlier this week. i am blessed to have the chance to serve our frontliners from home through crochet. This has allowed me to enjoy the quiet amidst the quarantine. It has also helped me to stay at home and keep myself busy.

If you are a medical frontliner who needs earsavers, please do not hesitate to reach out to my group, Earsavers for Lifesavers PH. My fellow crafters and I would love to honor your service with earsavers that are made with love.

Stay safe, everyone!

Attitude for Gratitude

Earlier this week, I visted Padre Pio Libis to pray and give thanks. While the pandemic is still upon us, there are still plenty of things to be grateful for.

Here are some of mine:

• I am grateful for family and friends who still care for me. While my family is not perfect, and my friends are busy with their own lives, I am still lucky to have those who take time to ask me how I am.

• I am lucky to have love in my life despite the Covid-19 virus.

• I am lucky to be free from the Corona virus!

• I am thankful for the chance to volunteer while at home through Earsavers for Lifesavers PH.

• I am fortunate to earn from home via my Human Nature Online Store (please support!)

• I am thankful for the podcasts, webinars, and online resources that let me learn from home.

• I am grateful that I have this blog, which allows me to freely express myself and have a home on the interwebs.

I realized that by focusing on my blessings rather than what is lacking at the moment, there is abundance in my life. Blessings do not flourish in an environment where there is negativity. By being positive and thankful, I am inviting more good things into my life and heart.

I hope that you also have plenty of things to be thankful for during the pandemic and beyond. Stay safe, everyone!

50 for Ilocos Norte

I recently dispatched 50 earsavers to the brave frontliners of Dingras Municipal Health Office. It is located at Ilocos Norte, so I sent it via courier. I am grateful to still have the chance to crochet for our frontliners. it is a huge honor to be part of Earsavers for Lifesavers PH.

Please continue staying home and practicing social distancing to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. God bless us all!

UE Jam Sessions pay tribute to the frontliners with original song, “Lalaban Tayo”

UE Jam Sessions (UEJS), the premiere music organization in University of the East, released a tribute music video dedicated to the medical practitioners and frontliners of the country, who are risking their lives amidst the pandemic crisis.

“Lalaban Tayo” was written by Jenny Legapi, arranged by Choi Felipe, and executive produced by Tommy Tanchanco. Featuring 34 singers and musicians from UEJS Manila and UE Caloocan, the collaborative effort was recorded and filmed during the lockdown period in the confines of their own homes. 

Despite the limited resources and massive challenges that the students have to go through in the recording process, they were able to improvise and produce a studio-recording quality of the uplifting pop-rock anthem that champions the daring and uncompromised sacrifices of our modern day heroes. It’s their contribution for all the hard work that our medical, security and essential frontliners had to endure during these uncertain times. 

“As we move forward in these trying times, we put our hopes in one another,” 12 Stone Records CEO Tommy Tanchanco shares. “Reshaping our lives this quarantine can never be easy for all of us, but still, let us not forget those people who risk their own lives on the front line and go beyond their call of duty.”

Its accompanying music video, which was edited by Cher Manulit, interspersed individual recordings from the participating student-musicians with inspiring clips showcasing the acts of kindness and compassion of our frontliners, particularly those in the medical field.  

Source: Nyou

“Lalaban Tayo (A Special Tribute To Frontliners)” is now released via 12 Stone Records.

Benjamin Kheng and Ben&Ben to grill each other on Instagram Live Show, B.B.Q.

After their much buzzed TikTok collaboration which attracted an audience of more than 3 million, Singapore-based alt pop artist Benjamin Kheng and award-winning Filipino band Ben&Ben will be blessing the regional social media feeds once again with their follow-up collaboration on Instagram Live next week, June 23 at 10 pm. 

The nine-piece collective behind hits such as “Lifetime,” “Pagtingin” and “Doors” will be joining Benjamin Kheng’s IG Live show, B.B.Q.—short for Ben’s Burning Questions. 

Known for its hilarious banters and challenges, B.B.Q. encourages celebrity guests to pass 10 challenges with varying levels of difficulty.

If the participants surmount the test, they will be given a chance to “grill” Benjamin through a burning question or a flaming dare. The online show airs live on Benjamin Kheng’s Instagram every week. 

Benjamin Kheng releases solo debut EP

Following his previous singles “Wicked,” “Find Me,” and “Lovers Forever,” the Singaporean multimedia star has just released his highly anticipated EP, A Sea That Never Stops.

The 6-track EP features three new tracks ‘Shiny’, ‘Already Home’, and ‘Make Do’ in addition to his previous singles. 

A Sea That Never Stops focuses on fresh music – with each song embracing nuanced stories paired with novel production, yet heavily drawing upon Benjamin’s musical influences of gospel, rock, and musical theater. It fully encompasses Benjamin’s creative range and lends promise to his future musical endeavors.

Reflecting wholeheartedly on the significance of the EP title, Benjamin says, “Time has a way of teaching us how to say goodbye to things and people we're not ready to – it just happens. Things simply end, people simply die, and we're dragged on with time. We're saying hello to new chapters before we've closed old ones. I guess I started writing these songs at the biting point of saying goodbye to the old and hello to the new, and I slowly began accepting the fact that I was part of a sea of waves that would eventually crash, disappear and go back into the ocean.”

Ben&Ben’s “Lifetime” amasses more than 5 million hits in a week

The critically acclaimed group is breaking records once again with the release of their new single, “Lifetime.” The folk-pop ballad has amassed more than 5 million streams on Spotify and YouTube combined, giving listeners a taste of their introspective songwriting in a time that needs comforting words and hope.

Ben&Ben premiered the hit song on TikTok Live! last June 13. It’s their first live performance together in one place after the lockdown period. 

Benjamin Kheng’s solo debut EP, A Sea That Never Stops! and Ben&Ben’s latest single, “Lifetime” are both available on all digital and streaming platforms worldwide via Sony Music.

Source: Nyou

Ramen and Coffee for 2

Here’s what I learned about the Covid-19 pandemic: it won’t go away soon. This is why I am not stopping myself from living (with caution, of course).

I went on a date with my boyfriend this weekend. I had my first serving of Arakawa Abura Soba from Hanamaruken in months. It is one of my favorite Japanese dishes of all time, and I really savored it.

And since i was my late dad’s birthday recently (and it’s actually Father’s Day today), I went to Starbucks to have his favorite caramel macchiato. It was also my first Starbucks since the lockdown. It felt so good to have barista-made coffee again.

Simple joys like a favorite dish and a warm cup of coffee can make a world of difference at a time of uncertainty. I feel grateful to have my loved ones with me, and good food to keep me going. Life isn’t so bad at all.

Listen to Twenty-Nine Eleven’s take on 6cyclemind’s “I”

Filipino pop-rock outfit Twenty-Nine Eleven has finally released their remake of 6cyclemind’s “I,” off the upcoming Sige I-Cover Mo Lang Project.

The song serves as the second single of the online compilation, produced by 6cyclemind and their management Soupstar Music, and released by Sony Music Philippines. 

The aforementioned tribute record aims to introduce the band’s legacy as reliable hitmakers that continue to define an entire generation’s collective consciousness.

A captivating take

Twenty-Nine Eleven’s version of the alt-rock classic was handpicked as one of the three winners of the Sige I-Cover Mo Lang Project—an initiative that encouraged fans to submit covers of their favorite songs from 6cyclemind’s catalog. 

Their captivating take stands out with its earnest simplicity and delicate arrangements, giving the song a refreshing spin while maintaining the original’s timelessness and emotional appeal.

According to Fony Alfonso, the lead vocalist of the five-piece band, the song is already great on its own. “However, in order to make it sound like us, we wanted to rearrange the song and add more of our personality to it. As with all of the songs that we've done before, we experimented with it until we got the right ‘feel’ that we wanted to express as a band.”

An inspiration to young musicians

The independent band considers 6cyclemind as one of their inspirations. “After spending time with the members of 6cyclemind, we were able to understand that it wasn't only their music style that made them successful, but also their perseverance in pursuing their career and passion,” guitarist Alexandre Abesamis shares. “As they've told us back then, there were a lot of other better and more skilled bands than them, but what made them stand out is that they never stopped playing.”

Currently, Twenty-Nine Eleven is working on new material and experimenting with various sounds and techniques culled from their individual music influences. Drummer Jerell Co adds, “Ever since high school, we were subjected to various styles and genres of music from the most dramatic love songs to the heaviest rock songs. That alone has developed the kind of music we could make now.” 

Twenty-Nine Eleven’s rendition of “I” is now available on various music streaming and download platforms worldwide.

Source: Nyou

50 For MBP General Hospital

I dispatched 50 earsavers to the frontliners of MBP Blessed Trinity General Hospital. It is located at Umangan, Mangatarem, Pangasinan. It is a huge honor to share my earsavers to a hospital in the north, and I am blessed to have found a doctor who took care of the delivery for me.

I am still volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH. We hope that you can also volunteer as a crafter, delivery angel, or materials sponsor. For more details, please join our Facebook group.

God bless you!

John Legend’s new album, Bigger Love celebrates Black Culture and Pride

Multi-platinum artist John Legend is slated to drop his sixth studio album, Bigger Love on June 19 (Friday) via Columbia Records.

On a lengthy Instagram post, the Emmy, Golden Globe, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT) winner reveals that Bigger Love was written and produced prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the #BlackLivesMatter protests happening around the world. According to him, the upcoming album is a “celebration of love, joy, sensuality, hope, and resilience” and an important showcase of what makes black culture so influential and empowering.

“It’s important for us to continue to show the world the fullness of what it is to be black and human,” John Legend takes pride. “Through our art, we are able to do that. I’m under no illusion that music can save the world or solve the world’s problems, but I’ve always turned to music to help me through tough times and I know many of you have done the same.”

His new album, Bigger Love features 16 soulful, R&B-laden, and pop-influenced tracks, and includes guest spots and collaborations with Gary Clark Jr., Jhene Aiko, Koffee, Rapsody, and Camper. It is executive produced by Raphael Saadiq—the award-winning neo-soul artist who co-produced two of the most critically acclaimed albums of the last two decades: Solange’s A Seat At The Table and D’Angelo’s Voodoo. 

The All Of Me singer-songwriter dedicates his upcoming record to his wife, his family, and “the rich tradition of black music that has made me the artist I am.”

The album’s focus single is “U Move, I Move,” a duet featuring Jhene Aiko. With its velvety harmonies, lush arrangements, and an inescapable chorus, the R&B slow jam embraces the emotional range and vulnerability of both artists, taking listeners to a place of romantic high with just the right amount of warmth. Upon hearing the track, Legend’s wife, multimedia star Chrissy Teigen tweeted, “One of my favorite ones is one with @JheneAiko. Why don’t u guys just get fuckin married.” The tweet has racked up more than 40,000 likes and a thousand retweets. 

For more information about the album, please visit: www.johnlegend.com.

About John Legend

Critically acclaimed and best-selling artist John Legend has garnered eleven Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and an Emmy Award, making Legend the first African-American man to earn an EGOT. 

He has released six celebrated albums including, Get Lifted (2004), Once Again (2006), Evolver (2008), Love in the Future (2013), Darkness and Light (2016), and A Legendary Christmas (2018). Legend starred in NBC's "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert" in 2018, winning an Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special and nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor (Limited Series). Legend joined "The Voice" for Season 16 (2019), winning with his mentee Maelyn Jarmon and is currently a judge on Season 18. 

John is a partner in Get Lifted Film Co., serving as an Executive Producer for "Southern Rites," "United Skates," WGN America's "Underground," and films "Southside with You" and "La La Land." As a philanthropist, Legend initiated the #FREEAMERICA campaign in 2015 to change the national conversation surrounding the misguided criminal justice policies in the US and to end mass incarceration.

Source: Nyou

Local Love

I enjoyed the third day of the Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) 2020 right in the comfort of my own home. I learned that managing resilience is the key to surviving and thriving in the new normal. Both the private and public sectors must collaborate to bring forth beneficial change to society as a whole.

Personally, I am doing my part by engaging in low-energy activities such as brewing my own local coffee using a coffee press, enjoying cookies baked by a marginalized community in Manila, and crocheting earsavers for frontliners under Earsavers for Lifesavers PH.

I may be uncertain with what the future may bring, that is why I choose to thrive with what I have in the present. Choosing to support local is important because it enables me to help my city and community thrive.

I hope that you will also find ways to support local brands while educating yourself using online resources at home.

Let us all stay safe!

90 for Mary Johnston

I dispatched 90 earsavers to the frontliners of Mary Johnston Hospital, Tondo, Manila. Crocheting earsavers has been the defining project of my quarantine. It has given me a sense of purpose while staying at home.

Volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Seeing the frontliners who receive my earsavers smile gives me hope that the future will be bright. I hope that as I continue crocheting for our frontliners, a cure will be found to finally eradicate Covid-19.

I also attended the second day of the Virtual ACEF 2020, which tackled gender, innovation, and climate change in ADB projects. I enjoyed the sessions, and I was inspired by the role of women in the ADB’s projects to provide renewable energy across the ASEAN region.

I am positive that tomorrow will be a better day. Stay safe, everyone!

ACEF 2020 Day 1

I spent the first day of the Asia Clean Energy Forum 2020 listening to the esteemed speakers discuss clean energy amidst the global pandemic. I did so while crocheting earsavers for frontliners.

Here were my key takeaways from day one:

• The economic downturn brought about by the pandemic could serve as a catalyst for finding alternative renewable energy sources.

• Cross-industry collaboration is crucial in enforcing changes for renewable energy.

• The Covid-19 crisis should be used as an opportunity to learn more about climate change and renewable energy

• We can foster job growth in this new normal by using sustainable development and renewable energy

• We must build our resilience and reimagine tomorrow

The conference will run until Friday. I cannot wait to learn more as I help our frontliners.

Stay safe, everyone!

Virtual ACEF Deep Dive

Today was the pre-event day of the Asia Clean Energy Forum 2020 (ACEF). This year, the event will be done virtually via their online platform. While the conference may be streamed via the interwebs for now, it does not diminish the value of the event. It is still an honor to be a part of this conference.

This year, I am crocheting earsavers while tuned in to the ACEF.

I attended the deep dive session on Green Finance Policies in Asia. Here’s what I learned:

• The pandemic is the perfect opportunity to explore innovative ways for green energy in the region.

• It’s all a matter of enforcement as we already have the technology for green finance, such as green bonds.

• While we are under quarantine, we must not leave anyone behind.

I look forward to learning more from this event until its run this Friday. Multitasking by crocheting and watching a conference is making my quarantine a lot of fun at the moment. This will definitely be worth telling my kids or nieces and nephews someday.

75 for The Medical City Southern Luzon

I dispatched 75 earsavers to The Medical City Southern Luzon. This batch is special to me because I was crocheting these earsavers while it was Independence Day. This particular holiday is close to my heart because it coincides with my anniversary date with my current boyfriend. I just feel so happy and loved.

I am still volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH. We are still accepting volunteer crocheters, delivery angels, and materials sponsors. Please join our Facebook group for more details.

Stay safe everyone!

60 For Philippine Heart Center

I recently dispatched 60 earsavers to the Radiology Department of the Philippine Heart Center. Special thanks to Ms. Lyzl Quinio for the photos of the frontliners wearing my earsavers.

I enjoy volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH because it has given me a sense of purpose during the quarantine. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve from home. Please visit of Facebook group to help us reach more frontliners by becoming a crafter, materials donor, or delivery angel.

God bless us all!

Pop-jazz sensation Ardhito Pramono invites Ben&Ben as special guests for digital concert

As part of the initiative to forge regional ties with likeminded artists in Asia, Indonesia’s very own Ardhito Pramono will be joining forces with acclaimed Filipino band, Ben&Ben and Singaporean alt-pop artist, Benjamin Kheng for a star-studded virtual show.

Aptly titled, From His Backyard, Online #HappyConcert with Ardhito Pramono and Friends, the first online concert in Indonesia to feature local and international artists, will happen on June 8, 2020 (Monday) at 9 PM (Philippine time) via Loket. Tickets are available here.

The digital show will highlight special collaborative performances and live sessions from his latest EP, Craziest Thing Happened In My Backyard. Released this year, Ardhito’s fourth mini-album pertains to the “backyard” as a metaphorical place to keep good and bad memories, secrets, opinions and ramblings; hence, coming up with songs that “talk about darkness with a twist of cheerful music.” His new single “Here We Go Again / Fanboi” was released on YouTube last June 3, 2020 via a lyric video that sees the Indonesian star performing amidst beige curtains.

Prior to the upcoming digital show which will be streamed live next week, Ardhito Pramono and Ben&Ben have recently collaborated on video-sharing platform, TikTok. Their paper towel challenge, which featured a snippet of Ardhito’s new song, “Here We Go Again,” broke records as one of the most viewed team-ups that featured Asian artists on the app, amassing 47.8 million views in less than 2 months. 

About Ardhito Pramono 

Born on May 22nd 1995, Ardhito Pramono garnered instant success with the release of his self-titled debut album. In 2019, he won Best Vocal Jazz Artist on Anugerah Music Indonesia, and bagged endorsement deals with big brands such as Biore, Teh Javana, Bintang Marina. This year, the “wonder boy” crooner starred in the box office hit, Nanti Kita Cerita Tentang Hari Ini. He also dropped his critically acclaimed EP, Craziest Thing Happened In My Backyard last February 2020 via Sony Music.

Source: Nyou

50 For Aborlan

I have fulfilled the request for 50 earsavers for the brave frontliners of the Aborlan Medicare Hospital at Aborlan, Palawan. The request was made by a doctor who is from the area, and was also in charge of delivering the earsaver requests. I am very excited to have a piece of my heart at Palawan, as I’ve had memorable holidays in that province.

I am still volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH. The buttons for this batch have been donated by Ami Eri, whose pattern I have also used all throughout making these earsavers.

Please join the Earsavers for Lifesavers PH Facebook group to volunteer as a crafter, materials donor, or delivery angel.

Hope to see you there! Stay safe, everyone!

60 More For VMMC

I dispatched 60 earsavers for the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) Pharmacy Department frontliners. This was my third donation to VMMC. My last earsaver batch for the said hospital was for its Outpatient Department.

Every dispatch makes me happy because I work on these earsavers with love. I am fulfilling frontliner requests with joy in my heart and a spirit of gratitude for those who bravely heal the sick. I am driven by the comfort that these earsavers will give, and I can’t wait to make more in the coming weeks.

Please also consider volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH by joining our Facebook group! We are still in need of crafters, delivery angels and materials sponsors.

I hope to see you there! Stay safe everybody!

800 Buttons from BSC

I received 800 buttons from Bon Seng Commercial Inc. for my upcoming earsavers. I am thankful that this company has generously shared their resources for the second time. Their first donation to me were put to good use, so I will definitely ensure that these will be utilized to help our frontliners.

To help us crochet more earsavers, please consider donating materials or sponsoring deliveries to hospitals. Your help will go a long way, so join the Earsavers for Lifesavers PH Facebook group today to learn more.

Hope to see you there!

Ben&Ben to release a song inspired by a fan’s heartbreaking story

Award-winning Filipino band, Ben&Ben will drop their new single, “Lifetime” on June 4 (Thursday) via Sony Music. 

The intricately produced, folk-pop ballad was written as a response to a fan’s YouTube comment on their hit song “Pagtingin,” which to date, has amassed more than a hundred million streams on YouTube and Spotify combined. 

The fan, who goes by the alias of “Anne Jou,” shared her story of regretting not being able to express her feelings because she was afraid to lose the friendship.

“…instead of telling him what I actually felt, I hid and buried my feelings. And you know what happens to feelings that are buried? They grow. The like I felt for him became love. I wrote poems, songs. After 8 years, I attended his wedding [last] January. And guess what? The world is really overly-cruel. Before his wedding, he thanked me for being his best friend and told me that before he met the girl he got married to, he loved me first. For 5 years. But he was also scared of losing me so he just decided to keep it. I was shocked and I slightly had anger towards the world. We didn't know that if only one of us dared to make a move, a lifetime was waiting for us. So people, while you can, please express how you really feel so that in the end you won't regret anything.”

The nine-piece collective decided to make song inspired by a fan’s online confession—a proof of how powerful and moving words can be, when shared from a place of earnestness and raw honesty. 

Notwithstanding the technical limitations and struggles in recording brought about by the pandemic, Ben&Ben pulled through in a few days and finished the song in their respective homes with just their instruments and a studio software. 

The intimate recording session led to what is “Lifetime” now: an emotionally affecting song that leaves us wondering, what could have happened if we only mustered the courage to admit our feelings to the person we’re pining for, regardless of the outcome? 

“Lifetime” was mixed by veteran sound engineer JP Verona, and mastered by Grammy Award-winning Leon Zervos (Pink, Rihanna, Maroon 5, Beastie Boys, and Willie Nelson). It was written by Miguel Benjamin and Paolo Benjamin, and recorded and produced by Ben&Ben.

Ben&Ben’s “Lifetime” will be released on all digital platforms worldwide on June 4 (12 midnight, Thursday).

Source: Nyou