February 13, 2015

It's Friday the 13th and it's also favorable Friday for me. I have been pondering on what will I do next. I have been seriously considering completing a degree in Social Work. I feel that this is a career that I will really thrive in. Helping other people is something that I innately have. Anyway, I am still working on board so until I finish my contract, this will be one of the goals that are yet to be reached.

Now, let's count the things I am thankful for. 

First, I am so thankful for seeing and experiencing snowfall last February 10th in Istanbul. It was amazing. 

Second, I was able to explore some places in Turkey with nanay.

Third, I am happy to be in this cross road in my life right now. I understand that things does not make a lot of sense for me right now but I am not alone. There are plenty of people who are just as confused as I am on what they must do with their lives.

Fourth, I am thankful for my job that allows me to save money. 

Fifth, I am thankful for the experiences that life sends my way. 

Sixth, I am thankful for all the places that my job is allowing me to see and experience. It is up to me, what I will try and will not try.

Seventh, I am thankful for all my senses that are working properly. 

Eight, for my patience with myself and other, I am thankful too.

Ninth, I am happy with my ability to keep an open mind and accept things as they come or go.

Tenth, I am thankful for my faith in You. 

And then came 2015

Wow.

2015.

So I am pretty much the same person I was since the last time I posted here on 2013. Has it been that long? Anyway, I have read an article about starting over again. This is me, starting over again but this time, I will be writing about what I am thankful for. Writing things you're thankful for according to the article, enables you to look forward to a great day ahead of you. I am certain that the future holds nothing but the the greatest and the best. The article also encourages one to plan ahead because when you do that, you are using the law of focus that will empower you even when you're asleep. Writing what I am thankful for will make the bumps ahead easier to face and understand that they're necessary bumps.

Now, what am I thankful for?

First, I am thankful that my mother landed safely in Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport. She's already explored Rome with one colleague he met at Dubai Airport. I am meeting her tomorrow morning and will spend 3 weeks with her.

Second, I am thankful for my mother's spirit. Her carefree attitude about her travel to see me reminds me of my own carefree spirit and faith in everyday angels.

Third, I am thankful my internet access in the office that allows me to have breaks in between work. To focus and re-focus.

Fourth, I am thankful for the sweet pineapple I had for dessert tonight at dinner.

Fifth, I am happy about my regular bowel movement. That may sound nasty, but I am seriously happy about it. I have this belief that regular bowel movement keeps my weight at an ideal level and cleanses me.

Sixth, I am thankful for youtube.com because I was able to set the time in my radio controlled watch effortlessly (well, ok... with less effort if I just rely on the printed instructions).

Seventh, I am thankful for Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 which I won from the Christmas raffle last December 2014. Yay! I also have songs in it now and I cannot wait to add more songs so I can listen to music while I work in the office.

Eight, I am thankful for my faith in God. I have a lot of ups and downs especially during my alone time. My faith in Him keeps me sane. Thank you God.

Ninth, I am thankful for the good head on me. I am reading articles about investing and I am also sharing it with other. So I am also thankful to people who actually pay attention to my opinion on things.

Tenth, I am thankful for my body. I hope I am not abusing my body by sleeping late due to too much reading or tv series indulgence after work. I have to better take care of my body because this body allows me to do my work on a daily basis which brings home the bacon that I get to share with others.

So there... that was not too difficult. Now, what are my plans for tomorrow?

1. Wake up with a smile in my face (^_^) and a thankful heart.
2. Have breakfast.
3. Assist with sign on procedure
4. Meet my mother in the gangway and help her settle
5. Walk around and visit pre-shift briefings as well as embarkation process

Kaya natin 'to!

Fast Forward to 2013

Surprise! Surprise! It is now September 2013. My last post was on the 13th of September year 2011. Time flies... let's look back at the things that happened from 2011 to this year. *Time space warp...*

*Ngayon din!*

I am now married. Thank you very much. I also have a total of about 3 blogs that I am so ready to consolidate to make my blog-life simpler. My current goal is to really live each day. I no longer feel like planning. Don't get me wrong, I still plan and day dream but I feel like I owe it to myself to recognize and acknowledge how lucky I am every waking day. I have been so wrapped up in achieving so many goals and maybe, it's time for me to stop to smell the flowers while I still can. So for now, my goal is to live simply and appreciate all the blessings around me instead of looking for new adventures to pursue. In all honesty, really living each day and giving every day my best shot is an adventure in itself. It's not as easy as it sound.

For now, I will just be.

new?

In order for you to do things differently, you need to see things differently.

I am sick and tired of being told what to do. I know I have to be patient and understanding and I must learn to compromise. Right now though, I don't want to give a sh*t. I want to scream, I want to be heard and be understood.

My Bucket List

1. backpack trip from South to North (Mindanao to Luzon)

2. backpack trip around Asia (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand)

3. sky dive

4. see pandas

5. see koalas

6. know what it's like to live in New Zealand and LIVE THERE.

7. be rich

8. take photos in Paco Park

9. write a book

10. own a house

11. learn to drive (errrr....)

12. *bleep*

13. have a garden

14. plant vegetables

15. kiss under the rain

16. watch the sun set on my dying moment

17. go to Davao with Winston

18. go out of the house beautiful, all the time

19.

to be continued...

Lesson

Lately, all I do is obsess about my boyfriend. I am serious getting sick of it. I know I have to snap out of it and occupy myself with things that will keep my mind off of him. I have to do it for my own good. I guess this is one of the many challenges of being away from each other. *sigh* There is a lesson behind this for sure....

Helping Out

This afternoon I had a cooking spree. I started with turon (deep friend banana) which is a Filipino dessert. I made it as snacks. Then for dinner I prepared squash with malunggay matched with fried boneless bangus (milkfish). I enjoyed cooking as much as eating what I have prepare. I honestly am proud of myself. I did not only find something to occupy myself with but I also helped out fellow Filipino buy buying from the talipapa (small market) just outside of our subdivision. The vendor where I bought pineapple even shared how very little they actually get from what they sell but looking at the good side, you cannot get whatever amount they're getting by just sitting in their houses waiting for grace and money to fall on their laps. I wish I have taken photos of what I prepared. Tomorrow, I am planning to prepare pasta of some sort. I was also hoping I can bbq something. Hmmm.... I'll worry about that tomorrow. Tonight, I know I will fall asleep with a smile on my face knowing I did well today.

Setting New Goals

I achieved so many dreams and I am now ready to dream new dreams. I am ready to let go of who I was and I cannot wait to be who I am.

I got my wish to work in a cruise ship and see the world (or at least some parts of the world). The world is so awesome and I have come to accept that I will never get to see every inch of it. According to the business book that I am currently reading, the road to being rich is simple, we just to choose to complicate it. The way to being rich is to come up with a plan and stick with it. I think the same rule may somehow be applicable to life. Having a dream and pushing yourself to achieving it keeps you going and makes life worth living... in short, having a purpose is what life is all about.

When I pray and ask for guidance from God, I always hear New Zealand. That is where I want to settle down. Just like my day to day life, there's just so many distractions that keeps me from realizing what I really want right now. I want to be rich and I will make that happen. I will be financially free and have a happy family. I will be healthy and live a healthy, productive life. I will make all of this happen not only for myself but also to glorify my Father.

Thankful in the midst of Hives Attack

I am having one of those nights again where I feel itchy all over my body and I am growing hives like potatoes from my scalp, entire face, to my bum, to my thighs to my toes. It is horrible I tell you, not knowing why I am itching all over and growing these hives and rashes. The not knowing part sucks but the internet surprisingly helped me deal with it. I had to first find out what pantal is in english in order for me to understand my condition more. I found out it was hives. Hah! From researching about my condition as I scratch my life away with pleasure, I ended up watching this video by Rick Mereki (not sure if that's his real name or if it was just a screen name).

EAT from Rick Mereki on Vimeo.

3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, 38 thousand miles, an exploding volcano, 2 cameras and almost a terabyte of footage... all to turn 3 ambitious linear concepts based on movement, learning and food ....into 3 beautiful and hopefully compelling short films.....

= a trip of a lifetime.

move, eat, learn

What he shared made smile. Man, was I inspired! Being inspired is a great feeling. It made me disregard my hives altogether! I LOVE IT!!!! Am I booking a flight to Zamboanga and push through with my Mindanao to Luzon adventure because of this video? Maybe. I was moved by the video, yes. For now, being able to smile despite having my entire body serve as a world map of hives is enough for me.

Plans for my Well-being

Alright, I am 27 turning 28 in 3 months. I am not getting any younger and I don't want to worry about that so I am making a some awesome plans for myself.

1. I will find a sports that I can engage myself in for the long haul. Ideally, something inexpensive.

2. I will continue to do yoga.

3. I will watch what I eat.

4. I will keep a positive outlook in life and stay away from not so good vibes.

Sounds doable. Yep, I believe all of these can be done.

2011

Time flies.

The last blog post dates back to October 25, 2007. Uh-mazing! It made me look back to what I was once to what I am now. Oh just let me ramble on.

1. I no longer own a desktop pc. I've had 14-inch laptop which I sold a year ago and now I have a notebook. No dvd drive, no fuss. I just use the laptop to surf the net anyway. I've also stopped blogging - obviously.

2. Half of my mini-room library is now wiped. I've given away most of my books. Hard core book lovers may stone me to death but I've always believed in spreading the love and knowledge these books have given me.

3. I have traveled. That in itself is another blog-worthy entry.

4. My brother is now married.

5. The person I am with now is different with the person I used to refer to in my past blog posts.

6. All my past posts just makes me say, "wow". 4 years have come and gone. The itch to travel still needs to be scratched but the desire to have a place that I can call my own is starting to burn my very core more.

7. I am amazed by the ability of blogs to store so much information. Not just of billion people, but possibly of every single soul roaming this planet. WHOA! Who invented the internet again????

8. I have eaten SNAILS!!!! Yes, escargot. I ate in this French restaurant called Le Bistro. I had to think of happy things and had to erase all slimy images as I chew on it. Why do snails have to be slimy?

9. All in all, I'm thrilled to resurrect this blog. I can't wait to document my life back on track again.

the moon and i

As I water our orchids tonight, I saw the moon. I felt a smile in my lips. It was like a sign of a brighter tomorrow. I don't want to be melodramatic but it's true that there are a lot of things around us that can easily take away our joy and happiness. It takes a lot of strength to stay positive in the midst of all the negativities. Every day, I have to remind myself to take things one step at a time. In life, nothing is certain. What's certain is that we're given enough time. How we spend it depends entirely on us. Right now, there are a few things that seem to dampen my spirits. Thanks to the stars tonight and the moon, they provide comfort and solace that I alone can't give myself.

How Must I React?

Have you experienced being in a situation wherein you don't know how to react? I am in one right now. What I did was keep my mouth shut. Being silent may be misinterpreted but I preferred being quiet to avoid further misunderstandings. Hmmmm... I guess it's best to just let things be. Hope for the best, cope with the rest.

my PC's busted

darn it!

Thank heavens my brother's laptop is around... Looking at the bright side, our electric bill won't be sky-rocket high until my PC problem gets fixed. I'm wondering what's wrong with my PC. One of my friends tried to help me out, but I just can't seem to force myself to listen to what he's explaining. I just don't have the patience for technical stuff. *sigh*

See how messy my computer table is at the moment.

Green-mindedness

I'd rather be green than be blue. Not because I am from DLSU but because I want to have my own input in helping save the environment. Here are some of the things I do:

*I walk whenever I can.
*If in case I purchase items (no matter what the size is), I try to fit it in my bag instead of having it placed inside a plastic bag.
*I do not throw candy-wrappers in the street.
*I take care of our plants.
*I encourage my students to conserve paper and energy (spread the love!) & educate them as much as I can about the environment.
*I conserve water and electricity wherever I may be.
*Whenever I can, I join coastal clean-up.
*I give away things I no longer use instead of throwing them.

These are just a few of the things I do, what about you? Let's do our part in helping save the Earth after all, we've got only one Earth. Effort put together can make a huge difference!

when lightning strikes

To sum things up that I want to say and write which, on the last minute decided not to... I am lucky. I am lucky to have wonderful friends & an equally wonderful boyfriend. My family will always be one of God's greatest blessing.

letting the good times roll, ALL THE TIME. sei, sei, sei... kampaii!!!

Nobody is indeed perfect. If we only make our expectations from other people - from husband to children, from friends to relatives - a notch lower, maybe then we won't be so disappointed if things don't work out the way we want, hope or expect them to be. After all, when all else fail; we have an unfailing man above to help us up.

Gourmet's Palate

My boyfriend and I share a lot of things in common. Aside from our love for the arts, we also have this great passion for food & eating! As I have mentioned in my earlier post, I have decided to engage myself with other activities as I wait for the rainy season to end. Checking out different restaurants is my top priority!

First stop, Gourmet's Palate. This place is a well-hidden treasure waiting to be found. I am bad with names and titles, but I do remember my boyfriend & I ordering nachos, burger, fries, and "supreme" burritos. Each has its distinct taste. However, being the fries maniac that I am, I would have to say that there's nothing very special about their fries... but! the garlic sauce (aaaack! I dunno what it's called!) is like a magic wand that makes everything doubly tangy! Even the fries tasted like heaven after mixing ketchup and their deadly garlic sauce! Mmmmmm!!!!

If one day you find yourself around BF Parañaque, specifically along Aguirre St., I suggest that you pay Gourmet's Palate a visit. Their menu is a melting pot of different types of food. The place isn't posh, but it has its own homey charm that will make you want to come back.

we both loved every bite!

IOblogspot

I owe blogspot and the bloggers from around here a lot! I am learning so much from other bloggers' posts. Especially about food! I need to get out of my shell, summon enough courage, be brave enough and scout for new restaurants to try! Restaurants around BF P'que are like mushrooms popping out of the blue! I must try what they have to offer and eat to my heart and tummy's content before I decide to hit other places miles from my area of "responsibility"... or shall I say my comfort zone. Wooohooo!

Hmmm... Maybe I should just focus on restaurant hopping during the rainy season and postpone my hiking plans until summer. I'd say it's a brilliant idea!

moanings to fishes

Live life as an exclamation not an explanation.


I've decided to make a move by changing my site title from moanings of the moon to i.s.d.a = isda, which literally means fish in English.

Most would say they'd rather be green than blue (or vice versa). Same thing goes for my site's title. I catch myself doing more than enough of moaning, reflecting & being be blue about some of the things that life sends my way; but now, I prefer counting my fishes more than the huge holes in my fishnet. My fish is big enough to be shared with others... allow me to share it with you.

point of no return

I have to decide where my loyalty lies in terms of blogging. I've realized that I haven't blogged here for a long time now. Maybe it's about time I'd be active blogging using my Blogspot account. I'll start by posting some of the events that recently happened in my life...

I've been active with bowling lately.


I've had enough sashimi inside my tummy as well... but I still want more...

Tutorial's keeping me financially afloat and a bit busy.


Ian and I are also planning to hit Benguet again for another climb... with spelunking this time. If only the storm would stop from visiting that part of the world.

haaay.. walang katapusan

Travel Horoscope for Sagittarius

When you travel, you want to experience the journey as much as the destination. You want a vacation that really immerses you in a culture. You should travel: By train, across all of Asia With the Peace Corps As a foreign language teacher On an around the world ticket Spending a few months in one place

What's Your Travel Horoscope?

my inner child

Your Inner Child Is Surprised

You see many things through the eyes of a child. Meaning, you're rarely cynical or jaded. You cherish all of the details in life. Easily fascinated, you enjoy experiencing new things.

How Is Your Inner Child?

well...

You Are Ariel!

Headstrong and fiesty. You have a mind of your own that's full of romantic dreams about the world around you. Exploring exotic places is your ultimate dream, and although you can be a little naive you'll realize that there is something to be gained from your family's wisdom.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

I was hoping I'd be Belle... one of the tests say I'm Pocahontas... well, maybe I'm a bit of all the Princesses... or none? haha.

Love

everybody talk about it want to experience it understand it grasp it comprehend it keep it give it away receive it... Love... knows love when met by Love?

need not suffer

My social life need not to suffer

my sense of adventure need not to die

my thirst for traveling still needs to be quenched

i shall not stop from doing things i love just becoz i quit my job.

twists and turns

Went to Town Center today for Pato's birthday.


Brought my camera but left the battery. Smart, right?


Went to Delifrance afterwards... that's when the turn suddenly became a twist.

Larawan

maskara'ng lahat ng nakikita

di masabi kung tunay na masaya

malungkot

may hinaing o kuntento na

..can't let it go

ito ang mga bagay na walang koneksyon sa isa't isa pero gusto ko. come on, press ze ARROW. kailangan blast ang sounds mo pag track five pinakinggan mo, k?

= *sigh* love it! love it! love it!

= you're in your DOWN TIME?

= indeed, hips don't lie... they shake!

= need an escape?

= back to the past

= when there's a need to be funky

= oldies but goodies

= i dare you to listen with your soul unscathed

= awed me... para sa TORPE!

= one of Vienna Teng's (pinsan ni Yi Fei Teng...)

= FLIP NA KANTA NETO. makikinig ka, manginginig, mapapa-hug sa unan, tas ta-tumbling ka!

= my emo song at the moment.

my dna - visually...

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

i'm back from DEADLAND!

wow! wow! wow! woweee! I haven't posted anything significant here for a while. This is my supposedly "secret" blog. Ssshhh! My low profile blog that will sail unnoticed.

Let's see, what's new with me? Well, I'm getting hooked with downloading songs from virtually unknown artists from my side of the world. Got a few songs from Regina Spektor (her music's really something!), I have some songs from Incognito.. Cynthia Alexander's been out for quite some time now but it's only now that I am truly listening to her songs. Cat Power's songs are also fantabulous! I got acquainted with Dream Theater just a while ago... Who would have thought that there are artists out there who offer more than what Britney Spears and Paris Hilton can?!? I have been blinded by the bright lights and mainstreaming of MTV dictating what's cool and what's not. Well, gone are those blinded by lights days... And hey, I was never hooked with Britney or Paris anyways. It's just that I hear their names a lot even if I don't watch MTC.. I mean MTV. For the record, my soul will not rest until I find BossaLatin songs. I thirst.

Thirst still unquenched.. but moving along...

I was browsing through some old diaries that I surprisingly still keep... I always find words of wisdom there... Like this one stated by good old Aristotle: "thought by itself moves nothing." Nice, eh? Last night, I whispered to myself amidst the darkness in our living room (coz I of course turned off the lights... hello?!) that I'd leave yesterday behind and live today fully and completely.

The choices and actions we make define us. So, how would you define Laryh?

I copied this from somewhere, sometime ago:
"drop pretense
drop worry
let go of discontent
let go of self-seeking
ALL things are for ALL." I'm not quite sure if I agree with it, though.

Just wandering

and wondering who have read my posts. They're mostly non-sensical musings. I'm just trying to think out loud. It somehow help me sort my feelings and thoughts. It also divert my attention from thinking about "negative" things. As most people say, blogging is therapeutic.

Musings...

I haven't posted anything here for almost a month. I've been fairly busy with my multiply.com account. A lot's been going on... but I'm taking things slowly. I think we all should.

trust

I have been told by someone to be careful in choosing who to trust. I don't know. I trust people easily. I could care less if they're gonna gossip about the things I say or not. The lesson on trust will come eventually... I hope.

pain

They say that emotional pain can sometimes manifest physically... I want to believe that's the reason why I'm having backpains and all the other physical deficiencies at the moment.

I have a lot of friends but I have not open up not even to one of them about what I am going through right now. Maybe it's because I am totally clueless on what I am undergoing at the moment. I am hurting but I can't seem to pin point where the pain is coming from. Maybe, I finally grew tired of analyzing myself and situations I get myself into. I'm just probably tired...

Erase!

I have been too preoccupied erasing unknown people on my friends list in friendster.com


Adding people is much easier than erasing them... whew!

Tunnels

Life is a cliche.

Sunny endings are always in clear view but getting there, you must first work your way through a blurry tunnel.

I'm in one blurry tunnel right now. But with God beside me, no kind of blur will blind me. It will slow me down a bit... but I'd still reach the sunny end of my journey.

Life sure is a cliche, but every twist and turn are undeniably beautiful.

Greenhillscapade

I had a blast with Chiqui, Jean, Kath, and Mickey @ Greenhills. Laughtrip na tawaran at bentahan ang naganap. Naisip ko.... "I can be a saleslady too!"

Chiqui wasn't feeling so well though since the day before we all saw each other. Who wouldn't be? With all the stress in the world...?! That's why we all needed that weekend shopping spree (which I enjoyed very well... thank you very much...). After hours and hours of scouting and searching for hidden treasures in Greenhills, Chiqui can no longer physically handle the stomach and back pains that we had to rush her to the nearest hospital. And can the going be any tougher?! It took us (LITERALLY) centuries to catch a cab. We finally made it to Medical City in Ortigas safely and there Chiqui had to face her fear of long needles (syringe) with liquid squirting at its tip. We can only pray that Chiqui gets really well soon... Chix, we love you... pagaling ka na!

wild eyed wanderer

I finally got the planner I was lusting for... if only I can recapture the thoughts and the emotions that I felt when I was on my way home after all the get-togethers that I have been to, I would. Obviously, now I can't. Allow me however to include what I managed to frantically type & save on my mobile phone:

The Starbucks Planner Lesson.
It's not the actual planner that I'll treasure but the stories that go with it as I try to claim it. The people who helped me get it, the tissues I have wasted, the washrooms I trashed... ours included, the giddy quick stories I shared with friends as baristas put stickers and sign their names on it... the endless chatter as we finish our own plastic cups. Starbucks is expensive and overrated. But the moments I was able to spend with my friends there for hours and hours are (cliche but true) PRICELESS. It's really not the destination but the journey that matters. One planner, different cups of coffee, different faces, different stories. Starbucks coffee is expensive, memories are cheap.

From now on, I'll just collect the latter since I've had more than enough of the coffee.

you are so FATetic!

For the lack of anything coherent to write, I will just post doodles I found in my notebooks that I have kept for ages...

I. From "On Writing Well" by W. Zinser, "strip every sentence to its cleanest components".

II. Statements from the movie American History X that starred E. Norton:
1. Has anything you've done made your life better?
2. I didn't get any answer coz I was asking the wrong question.
3. Hate is baggage.

III. TODAY, I GIVE THANKS FOR...
the gift of self-realization... and the amazing shots that I can make with my camera!

Personal musings...
Do I want people around me to constantly depend on me? When did I start becoming this pathetic? Was I too busy to even notice this? Or maybe, I was so self-absorbed... If we truly are friends, we'd be back to normal. If not, I can always say it was fun 'til it lasted.

wow.... Joe D'mangoe's right... letting it all out can make a big difference...

Warrior of Light

I often catch myself acting self-righteously yes, but I am no warrior of light. That's not how warriors of light probably act. Recently, I have written something about modesty and arrogance. Everything I have written there is now rubbergluing back to me. It's hard when you're stuck in the middle of nowhere, left without a clue on what to do next. Sometimes, it is best to just shut up and second guess your thoughts, actions and reactions on certain situations... if not weigh them.

January 1, 2007. New year!!!!

I was filled with so much intensity and idea on what to write as I try to open this site. However, now that I have... all of those ideas disappeared. I am currently reading The Zahir by Paolo Coelho by the way. I better get back to my reading and just write again some other time.

writing fearlessly

When will my writing be recognized?

I consider myself a fearless writer wannabe. I jot down my thoughts and publish them wherever and whenever I can. My work has been published once in one of the Philippine’s leading newspaper, my (somewhat boring) articles in college were published as well. I also have my own blogs that continue to go dismally unnoticed. These are not brag-worthy, but they are sufficient enough to stroke my ego. Writing is like my second nature. It may even be my first, but I might not be well-aware of it yet.

I know I am not the best in the lot, but I know I can offer something. I have my own voice that I get from my own experiences. I want to continue writing for as long as I can. It’s highly improbable for me to get rich with my writing attempts, but it gives me a certain rush. It’s probably the same rush as singers get when they receive standing ovation for their performances.

Knowing that I have an audience, makes me feel good no matter how unpleasant the things they may say or comment on my writing attempts. Writing is my refuge, my escape, my bliss…

It’s obvious what made me say that I write fearlessly. I say and write what I want and always ready myself for whatever people have to say about it. How many, out of the billions of people in the world; in the Philippines alone, can write down their ideas and opinions and give people a ready access to it? That is being fearless of criticism of the judging public.

Someday, I will have a louder voice. When that day comes, I hope you’ll listen to what THAT voice have to say.

month of splurging

I have spent so much this month; mostly unplanned spendings. My money have litterally been flushed down the drain... into the pockets of my relatives, inaanaks (goddaughter, godson) and unknown (at least to me...) owners of Starbucks all over metro manila. My experience this Christmas season have taught me a lot of things.

Number one, the art of letting go. Money spent, is not really money lost. It's just money that went elsewhere in exchange for something. In exchange of coffee, a hug, a smile, or a heartfelt thank you. My bank book may read P0.0 [read: zero peso and zero centavo] but at least, the money didn't go to waste [and waste being...?!].

Number two, the art of holding on. Contradictory to the first lesson, but hear me out. Holding on to people. This season gave me time to see old friends and meet new ones. I have re-realized (once again realized) how lucky I am to have a lot of people to run to whenever there's a little running needed.

Number three, money makes a difference. Christmas is somehow different now that I am earning. I am the one giving now, but I still am receiving. It is true that it is better to give than to receive.

Number four, hold your breath. People may not always appreciate your gifts or surprises for them. Their reactions (watch out the facial expressions!) might be hurtful, so always brace yourself. Just charge it to experience.

Number five, going out has never been this fun! The thought that there's no work the next day... man... I'm loving it so much! All work and no play indeed makes Jill dumb; I mean dull.

Other lessons are better left unsaid, or unwritten.

An old quote from a friend: "There are friends you talk and laugh with everyday, yet the friendship ends there and there are those whom you rarely talk to and much rarely see, yet you know that they are ones worth keeping."

Wow!

December. A lot happened and will happen. Family reunion... get together with friends... weekend getaways... and the high light: ME cleaning my room. [see the preview of my new and improved room on the left] I also got a month-old-late surprise birthday dinner from my former co-volunteers/friends in college. I was 10 hours late for our family reunion though. Thank heavens my relatives are forgiving... maybe the excess cake from the dinner with friends + bouquet of flowers helped appease them. Ohwell.. it's probably the spirit of Christmas and simbang gabi. I also have this insatiable desire to get the Starbucks 2007 planner. Thus causing so much grumbling in the stomach and frequent trips to the washroom... Anyways, it's been a great year! 2006 has not ended yet, but I am sure excited to welcome 2007 with a huge grin on my face. Everyday's a great day...

I'm extra happy coz I now have a "private" blog. THIS. It's private in a sense that none of my friends know this one yet.