About
Oh, hi!
The name’s May! I’m a 30-year old single mom from Manila. I have a full-time corporate job as ethics, risk and compliance manager supporting a multinational company.
Aside from this kinda scary (but definitely fun) job, I like blogging as well – writing stories about the stuff I love doing and maybe some life lessons and things I think are worth sharing. I’ve been blogging since college then I started my YouTube channel in 2021, which was supposed to focus on travels and food as well, but the pandemic made me lean (back) more to reading books. Hence the bookish channel.
Obviously, I enjoy the outdoors and I am a foodie, too! In my spare time, I usually read books (oh yeah I mentioned it already), or paint random patterns, doodle some faces, sketch random shapes, and I also do photography. Yep, I am an almost-all-around hobbyist. I’m trying to make time and do some commissioned project, too. Check my portfolio here.
The Mhayonnaise started as a brain dump. My mind’s always running, it never tires. When I was younger, I even write cheesy topics on Tumblr as teenagers did (lol). When I got mah own mawneeey I finally was able to afford my travels and then that thought to just restart and rebrand and write more interactive pieces just came into mind.
My current blog though is actually a personal site where I share my adventures, thoughts, and experiences. But I believe everything has a purpose so more than telling stories, this blog aims to:
—◘ Share how fun (and exhausting, yes) and rewarding “mom life” really is.
—◘ Inspire people with my personal stories and show them that there absolutely are bright sides to being a single mom. (And being a single mom isn’t the only thing you can define and tell people about!)
—◘ Share tips on what and where to eat.
—◘ Reading books for fun adds more to the feeling of adventure you’re seeking.
—◘ Share detailed articles on my travel experiences with guides, recommendations, and helpful tips (well, I will do my best). So if you think I’m doing a bad job, please, please tell me so I can do better. <3
You already have a lot on your plate, May. Why write and film so much more? Ah! Here’s a another story about why I do more: Love, May Archives – themhayonnaise
You’re probably wondering how my blog is doing. Well, honestly, not so much. HAHA! I’m already an “oldie” in the community, but a “newbie” in the industry, if you get what I mean. I don’t usually use my blog professionally. I post here more for myself, as writing is really what makes me feel sane. Tbh. I try my very best to share why I love what I do as much as possible, but for now I do not look at blogging nor vlogging my primary focus or source of income.
I’ve been using “themhayonnaise” handle since 2010 on all of my online accounts. But I didn’t really track insights and I didn’t really mind attracting viewers. I took blogging more seriously just in 2018 when I explored opportunities with a group of bloggers. I got back to writing for my own blog in 2020 and now we’re here.
FAQs
I started blogging (and re-blogging) on Tumblr in 2009, when I was still in college. Anyway, for those who are curious, I have a degree in Commerce, Major in Internal Auditing, which is not-so close to digital marketing or even writing. What is IA? Well, I guess that’s for another blog post, for another time. I was in hiatus for years after graduating, because #adulting and I was an Internal Auditor for a local bank who’s doing jobs of both audit and quality assurance so yeah. I then started storytelling still on Tumblr in 2015 and moved to WordPress in 2017. It’s the year 2020, when I decided to host my own site that is now themhayonnaise.com.
It’s simply my jeje nickname, Mhay, connected to “mayonnaise” which was the only food word I thought with “may” in it when I was creating my blog. Why food word, you ask? Because I’m a foodie. But I’m not a mayonnaise lover unless it’s Japanese. Ironic, I know.
My most-used device is my phone which is an iPhone 11 Pro Max. I also use an Osmo Action and Nikon D5300 (kit lens) for my travels. Read more of my blog photography stuff here.
I always say “you just point and shoot and don’t overthink it.” Candid photos are still what I prefer when it comes to personal blogging. All my photos are not meticulously planned. I don’t usually crawl to the ground just to get the “best” shot. For my travel portraits, I just usually ask a guide or someone I was with and just take the whatever shot. I even have a weird, awkward posing habits. My raw shots are not so good, I just spend time editing the photos.
I’m not very selective when it comes to deciding which brands I work with, I like trying out different brands and experience them. BUT I am firm on providing honest and detailed reviews to my readers. Do I get paid? Some brands are generous enough to give pay outs or tokens, but I am very much willing to pay for my own consumption as well.