My Valentine's Post

I've been wanting to post some stuff in January but never got to do it. I just get stuck with an idea that I cannot put into words.

Now it's Valentine's Day and I guess I might as well put my two cents out there.

I came across an article that mentioned something about girls hating Valentine's day because they remember how single they are. My take? I don't need Valentine's day to remind me how single I am. Every waking day reminds me of that. And frankly, I'm perfectly okay with it. :) So I will not defend being single. Because first, it's not a crime. Second, it's not like I'm the only one left without a boyfriend. And third, because I'm happy with what and who I have in my life right now.

That is not to say I can't be happier. I can, of course. But you see, I'm also a believer in perfect timing. And like someone placing a special order of thigh and leg parts only for their fast food meal, I am willing to wait.

Just because I am single, doesn't mean I am without love. I feel the love from friends, and from my family, from Papa God.

I take a stress free work week as love from Papa God. He doesn't want me to have wrinkles. :)

A fun day with friends is love.

Awesome food is love.

Good deeds are love.

A good night message from my mom is love.

A visit from little Julian is love.

A sincere hug is love.

The perfect pair of shoes is love.

A beautiful weather is love.

A slice of that perfectly moist and light cake is love.

A tweet-back from someone you look up to is love.

Freebies are love!

Adam Levine is love. Chos! (Masingit lang? haha)

You see, love doesn't have to be from a single person. Love is how you see it. It's also how you say it. And how you show it.

To the people in my life, I love you! At different levels and different ways but I do. :)

And to the person who has yet to be part of my life, I don't know what's taking you so long but one day I know all this waiting is gonna be so worth it. See you soon! <3

I wish :)

Mother Oprah (lakas maka mother! haha) once said that the biggest adventure you can take it to live the life of your dreams. So let me share mine.

1. I wanna wrap gifts all year! If Santa Claus's branch here in the Philippines has a vacancy, I'd definitely take it. Seriously, I'd take 'taga wrap ng gifts' for a job. If you hate wrapping gifts, I promise, you can afford me! hehe

2. I'd like to put up a cute cafe. Think afternoon coffee and a book. And before you know it, the sun has set, it's time for dinner and I'll serve you a bowl of my mom's awesome mushroom soup and a plate of cheesy gooey meaty lasagna.

3. I also want a multi-use gallery. Something like Mag.Net. I know how hard it is to make music and, it's harder to share it. My brother was part of a band in high school. I have artist friends (painters, photogs, musicians) and I really believe they need all the support they can get especially when they're just starting out. There's too much crap in the mainstream so we, in the "purist/ quality over money" crowd should stick together. Plus I get to hang out with creative people. They're a different crowd, in a good way. :)

4. I love comfortable shoes. And it doesn't hurt that the shoes are pretty too. So let me put them together and produce my own brand of shoes! I want my shoe makers to be like family. I also want to build a school where the kids of my employees would attend. Pretty much like a social enterprise. This won't be happening soon though as I do not have enough money to quit my job and start my brand yet.

5. I want to travel! I dream of frolicking around Europe. Taking the train to different countries, and meeting awesome people along the way. Oha, lakas maka Eat, Pray, Love noh? Basta ganun! But I still need to learn and experience a lot of things because for one, I am not comfortable at the thought of traveling alone, let alone traveling to a foreign country. My biggest (travel) fear is not to be able to communicate properly. May nalalaman pa akong frolicking in Europe, eh Bonjour lang ang kaya kong sabihin. Jusme! haha

So here are my dreams! Help me out, will ya?

*all plans are subject to change. Everything's a work in progress. :)

A funeral

Last Thursday, I watched the latest episode of Vampire Diaries (s03e11). It was Caroline's birthday. However, she wasn't in the mood to celebrate it because it reminds her that she's already dead (she became a vampire last season so technically she's stuck at 17). Instead of a surprise party, they gave her a 'funeral' so she can say goodbye to her old self and start living a new life.

It was, what I'd call a coincidence that Farrah and I were talking yesterday (Saturday) about how it took us two years in the corporate world to finally start making mature life decisions this 2012 (aka start investing).

Our conversation went something like this:

Me: Katawa naman. In fairness two years naman na tayong pabanjing banjing diba.

Fa: Onga eh pero at least umabot tayo sa point na toh. haha

Then I realized that maybe it's time to say goodbye to college. At some point, we'll all be too old to pass as college kids. Even those who call you 'ate' in college have now graduated. Of course, there will be days that you will miss it. But you cannot hold on to your college life. I'm sure you would not want to.

Admit it, you're smarter, richer (hehe), and in general, a much better version of yourself right now. Why would you want to go back to your 'nene' / 'totoy' version, right?

If there's anything I'd like you to take with you, there are three:

Hold on to good memories. It will make you smile.

Hold on to valuable lessons. Remember, you are better because of these.

And finally but most importantly, hold on to your fun self. It will keep you young.

So bury everything else and start celebrating the new you. Cheers!

Two-Zero-One-Two

I bet you read the title with a tune in mind? Haha I kid!

Each time the year comes to and end, I write my thoughts, plans, and goals. It serves me many purposes. One, so I can keep track of how I'm spending my year. Two, someone might read it and will help me achieve some of them, and three, so I have something to look back when it's almost year-end again.

The year 2011 has been so good to me. I can say it was a year well spent. :) So here goes my random ideas on how I'll make 2012 count.

I will travel (like I always do each year). Travel, domestic or international, gives you time to breathe, think and rethink, and reconsider your plans and priorities in life. You discover a lot about yourself and your travel buddies too. Mau and I will push the 'Bawal Maarte Trip of a Lifetime' this summer. We were supposed to do it last summer but she got a job after grad and had to start working immediately. Now that she's got the hang of her job and is pretty much settled in her new place, I think we can go visit Ifugao this Summer 2012. *crossing my fingers and toes*

I'm also thinking about throwing a party for myself. I've never thrown parties. My friends know that. I'm just the dinner and hang out type of person but this year, I really wanna celebrate me! I originally want a kiddie party. I wanted one for the longest time. The other night I was watching Becky Nights (their guest was an oracle) and I think I want a different party for my 23rd. I want a party with cocktails, fortune tellers and face painting, and body shots. Sounds like fun right? CHAR!

I will work harder. The year 2011 has seen a shift in my work outlook. Definitely there's so much room for improvement. Hopefully more opportunities come so I can learn more. I also hope I commit less mistakes at work because it's hard to undo errors in my position. #sohelpmeGod

Make more friends. This year's been amazing. I met a lot of people and I really want to continue that this year. More than meeting people, I want to make a connection with them. It's nice to know people from different fields. Makes life more interesting. :)

Stay connected. I will make time for 'old' friends. I love meeting up with my friends because they make me laugh, they understand me, and they don't judge. New friends are nice and I love it. But sometimes you just want a real conversation and say what's on your mind without having to explain yourself.

Invest. I'm doing this first thing when I get back to Manila. Gonna buy myself some stocks. Weee! Did you know you can start a stock portfolio with 5k only? But I haven't really gone through the process so I'll share this once I've processed my account. :)

Make healthier choices. Gosh! I was on a 'healthy' track until summer happened. So much drinking and everything just went downhill from there. CHOS! I went back to jogging but ended up getting a knee injury, and then a foot injury. After that, I never attempted to go back to jogging. This year I wanna do pilates or continue hiphop. I really enjoy dancing. Although right now I think I need to focus on my upper body. Need to tone these arms!!! Good thing I emptied the fridge in Manila before flying to Iloilo. When I get back, I'll hoard carrots, apples and dalandan to make fruit juices.

Lastly, I will continue to improve myself. I am a work in progress. We all are. And maybe this year, I just need to focus on being my best self. They say you gotta be your best to attract the best. I will stop earning the respect of people/ "friends" who take me for granted, I will not entertain negatrons in my life, I will defend my rights and air my grievances. I will be the nightmare of crappy employees because bad service has no place in this country. I will help people in any way I can. I will touch lives of people whenever I get a chance. Enough with the 'search for The (elusive) One'. Not that I don't wanna meet him. I KNOW YOU KNOW I DO! But I've entrusted that magical moment to the Universe, to Papa God, To Destiny. The 'search' will have to sit at the back of my mind first. My conscious efforts will all be for myself and the people around me. Because a positive environment will send positive vibes. Gora lang sa mga good vibes kyeme!

Speaking of good vibes…How can I forget my new year wishes for the people I love? Here goes!

1. That people, especially those in power will be selfless so that this country can finally move forward.

2. That our transportation system will be improved so that our roads will be safer and less congested.

3. That we all understand why we are where we are. If you love it, keep excelling. If you don't, you know what to do. Have courage to do it.

4. That there will be more awesome teachers so students (young and old) stay inspired.

5. And lastly, I will keep wishing this until we have all been granted. That we may find the love we all deserve to have.

So here's to a 2012 full of adventures! May we all enjoy the journey and come out as better people at the end of the year. I know 2012's gonna be awesome. That's my prediction. Now it's up to each of us to make it true.

HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS!

Thank you, 2011

"I will make 2011 unforgettable. I will make it awesome. I'll make it count. "

I wrote that in 2010. Looking back, I can say I actually achieved it. There's so much I am thankful for and I will try to enumerate them here.

New friends. :) I've met so many new people this year! Really.

Kitty, Nano, Ayi, Bebs, Lei, Jobelle - I 've never known this much H.E. (Home Economics) people back in my college days! We're pretty much contemporaries in UP but I only met them this year, through my friend Mau.

Then there's the athletes crowd - Anto, Franco, Casey, Cis, Goy, Jed, Step, Enzo, Pon.

Football classmates - Kuya Jam and Ate Jeng. I love these two so much! They brought me along during the Diliman FC vs Stallions match in Makati. Felt like a spoiled little sister. hihi

Delish people - Bambi, Babes, and Gil. I spent so much time (and money) at Delish during the summer that I actually know the names of their servers. Too bad Babes isn't there anymore. I hope she's doing well.

Moonleaf friends - Adrian, Thysz, Ate Jam, Ate Juvie, Ate Rose, Kuya Moy, Kuya Nick. I have yet to ask the names of the other awesome people in Moonleaf but promise, I'll ask! (Ang bilis kasi nila dumami!)

Friends of friends, now my friends - Berns and Jojo from the Fine Arts group. Dave and Jeff from my Yesterday club loves.

Old friends. :) I love how we've matured but managed to stay crazy together.

Non-BA college friends: Mau, Ana,Carms, and Kara. Kara is in med school and I only got to see her once this year but the three, I see them pretty much each week since they moved to Maginhawa. I have a strong feeling we'll be seeing Kara more often this 2012 though. Her brother, Joel might start playing for UP this football season so yay!

GNO - Jen, Ja, Fa. I love these girls so much. We all dream of our respective The One's. And we're excited for each other. Right now we're just enjoying the journey. I don't know how GNO started but I'm sure it was pretty random. :)

Yesterday club - my 'young' crowd. 96% of this group is from the batch one year younger than mine. The remaining 4% represents me and Emm. HAHA! I love them. They're so wholesome but not really. They're hilarious and jologs! They're mature and immature at the same time. HAHA

Wonder Girls - we haven't met up this 2011 because we're never complete. We stay in touch through twitter though. We should make up for it this 2012.

BA blockmates - glad I saw some of them at Pat's annual bash before I left for Iloilo. We had too little time to catch up but it was great seeing them. I love my BA blockmates.

Football games - against Mongolia in Bacolod; versus Sri Lanka and Kuwait, and of course, THE Beckham game all in Rizal Memorial. Who would have thought I'd see Beckham in ze flesh?!

4. Concerts! I've seen just two this year. The Script and Maroon 5. I LOVED THE MAROON 5 CONCERT! It felt so surreal singing to She Will Be Loved, conducted by Adam Levine.

Twenty-five years of Mom & Dad. My parents just celebrated their silver anniversary. Thank you for making me part of this family, Lord. We're not a perfect bunch. Then again, perfect is boring. :))

Travel.

Hong Kong trip. First time I traveled out of the country with Fa. It was sooo tiring but fun! Ubusan ng tapang at pera!!! I really enjoyed the trip to Disney and Ocean Park. I'd love to go back to Disney. Not so enthusiastic about Ocean Park because the rides I tried were soooo scary, I don't wanna do it again! HAHA Once is enough.

Bacolod was crazy. My favorite part was the trip to Mambukal.It was a tiring hike but I enjoyed laughing and climbing the rocks.

Visitors! Some relatives came to visit this year. My Lola, Auntie Beng, Uncle John and my cousin, James were here last summer. And then Tito Gerry, Dad's brother, visited in June. It's always nice to have them around. Especially Auntie Beng and her family- she's fun and 'bagets' pa rin. I hope next year Kuya Totoy and his family can come over. I miss them. Last time they were here, I was a college freshman. I cut PE class to go to the mall with them. HAHA

Thank you for the patience so I can stick to my job. Had I quit when I failed the first time, I wouldn't have reached the point where I'd start to appreciate it. This 2012, I'll focus and work harder to understand my job so I can keep sharing my blessings with others. My dad always tells his people 'We have to help each other. Because if the business grows, you will grow with the business. It's not just your bosses who will benefit.'

This year was also the first time I played in the rain. I was at home one boring afternoon when it suddenly rained so strong so I just went to the garden and stood under the rain. I was shivering when I went back inside but I was so happy! hehe Yes, wala akong 'ligo sa ulan' moment nung kabataan ko.

And oh! One last first time memory. I sang in front of a crowd that I do not know! I am a 'suki' in videoke sessions but I've never sang in front of a crowd of 'strangers' until my 22nd birthday. I was at Delish with Nano and Mau, when they made me sing! I decided to go for it since the place wasn't so packed yet. In the middle of my second song (oh diba talagang kumanta ako ng isang set! hahaha), people started arriving- including some football friends. Embarrassing as it was, that night turned out amazing.By far the best birthday I've had!

I know my 2011 sounds boring in writing. This is also the reason why I didn't write as often. Words just fail me! haha

Here's to a 2012 filled with more awesome firsts, crazier repeats, and epic surprises!