The first half of 2026
Reflecting on the first half of 2026: family projects, digital publishing, hometown pride, and summer adventures that inspire joy and resilience.
How is your 2026 so far? I hope it’s still going well for you.
I know it’s already cliched, but I can’t help but say that the days move too fast. A lot of us have a tendency to rush things. Even I sometimes catch myself wanting the days to go by in a breeze.
And then I realize that I need to take a pause and remind myself not to rush things. I mean, just enjoy what each day has in store for us because tomorrow is uncertain. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow, and things might even be worse. I tell myself that what I have at the moment are the things that truly make me happy: my loved ones, my friends, my own health and strength, and my skills.
Anyway, my year started fine. My efforts were focused on one big “family” project, and that’s what’s keeping me going. I also have a lot of personal projects in mind. Earlier this year, I launched a digital store called Ivan’s Digital Finds, where I sell eBooks and other digital products.
The platform also comes with a blog, so I’m happy that I get to write topics outside family travel and parenting. I’m also keeping myself busy with learning how to self-publish. I’m glad that there are many resources online to help me learn the craft. Also, I’ve embraced AI lately because it’s been extremely helpful, especially in helping me polish some of my projects (yup, I don’t rely on AI to do all the work; I make sure that the prompt is clear and would capture my own voice).
I’m also currently working on an eBook of fictional stories from my hometown, San Antonio (Nueva Ecija), as a way of promoting my hometown. This is in addition to the Tara sa San Antonio, Nueva Ecija page that I actively update.
During the summer break, we had an impromptu weekend getaway to Gintung Pakpak Ecopark in Arayat, Pampanga, because Rafa had been passionately asking us in the last several months if we could have a camping trip. It was a nice overnight trip for communing with nature, although I wouldn’t consider it the ideal destination for that purpose. We also had the chance to go back to Pico de Loro this summer. While we were surprised because of the unexpectedly large crowd of vacationers at that time, we still enjoyed our stay at Pico de Loro.
The kids have also just started school. Rafa is already in Grade 1. He was a bit nervous when the school started, but when he saw his familiar classmates and teacher, he quickly warmed up and was soon chit-chatting with his seatmate even while his teacher was talking. Miguel, meanwhile, is still in SNED. His adviser is still the same (thank goodness, because she’s really good).
There are challenges here and there at work, but I’ll tackle more about that in a separate post once things clear up.
Now it’s your turn! Tell me about your year so far in the comment section.
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