Closing 2009 and Moving on to 2010

I just realized that I had to write this. It's been crazy busy even during the holidays that I almost missed the year-end blog thingy. For this year, I figured to do away with the survey and create something of my own. I've missed writing so much.

In a nutshell, 2009 has been really, really great and really, really emotional. If it ended in October, in March, or in May, I would have answered differently. So here's to hoping the next few paragraphs are coherent enough for you to follow.

I'm really happy that I'm back in school. I'm often asked what I'd do after I graduate and til now I don't have an answer to that. What I know is school is making me happy. And it just about compensates the normality of everyday life. And I'm also happy that I've re-met and met some great people in grad school -- Earl, Kaye, Jomar and James. :) Thank you for being good friends through the fuzzy-crazy terms.

In the latter part of the year I've also started attending an out-of-school/out-of-work/out-of-this-world class. :) And I can't say anything more about it aside from it's fuuuuuun, it's tiring, and I hope to be very good at it someday. Thanks to this class I've reclaimed my jam-packed weekends. :)

I've also shifted my Sunday mornings from jogging to playing badminton with Kuya Sonny, Ate Cel, and Kris. I can't say I'm really good, but all I'm thankful for the regularity of exercise. And we do have fun, especially when Kris makes those funny shots. :)

I've also been to a lot of places this year. A huge chunk was spent on vacation and for that I'm very thankful. :) Our family's February Boracay trip kicked off my travels for the year. Boracay is beautiful as always, but I guess less beautiful when you have work in mind. I believe I still enjoyed that Bora trip even if I didn't get the tan that I longed for.



Bangkok was the next stop in April. Kris and I went with Kuya Sonny's family. Visiting and discovering a new place is always fun. :) We've had some great pictures with the temples and had our adventures in the floating markets and beating Bangkok traffic.

During one of the long weekends in September, our family went on a beach day trip to Subic. Although the hard rains can be considered as an epic fail, we still had fun under the rain and the waves. It was marked by a lot of shop-shop-shopping! It was just the break that we all needed to recharge.

The grandest trip this year was the most recent -- Dos Palmas in Palawan. Okay, so I was sick for most of the trip. But I got a bit of a tan, I got to sunbathe, to relax, to think too much, to make sandcastles, to snorkel, to eat a lot, to visit the beautiful island where the waves meet... Well I guess I did a lot of things (this includes sleeping too) and the vacation was a year-ender in a lot of different ways. :)

On the social scene, I am thankful for my different groups of friends that I got to spend time with this year. Friends (pa rin pala) kami, newly-Christened FK, came together in March and had some pretty constant meet ups ever since. The loss of Ate Caren touched us all very deeply, some more so than others. And if it was a test of our friendship, I'm glad FK passed it with flying colors. Special shout outs to co-Octoberbabies Hanna and Miki! Thank you for impromptu coffee dates at McKinley or Katipunan or Diliman or wherever. They kept me sane.

Also significant this year is the constant meet ups with the Pisay Sampa folks. Lunch-to-sawa, movies, plays, let's-nag-JB, lunches, dinners, chismisans -- we almost see each other every two weeks! It's funny that we never get tired and that we've known each other for 11 years and counting. Thank you especially to Mab. :) Love you Mab! :) You know I'm here for you as you've always been there for me.


Of course who would forget my girls at the office? Flo and Nhiza for the Red Ribbon lunches, Nutella pandesal meriendas, and wherever-our-feet take us dinners. I love you both very much. :) Thank you for listening to everything I say (even if it's all my fault). You know that among the three of us I'm the most talkative -- thank you for bearing with my stories. :) Here's to more adventures, corny jokes, dance moves, and foodie trips!





Last few shout outs to friends I've missed:
- Mike F & Quel - I miss our lunches. I'm happy we're still somehow in contact :)
- Maymay - To the best virtual friend ever! :P Thanks for listening and giving advice.
- Krizel - Through the busy manager times and having Zoe, thank you for being a good friend. I miss you :)
- AR and Jade - Wasap yow? Jade, thanks for being my seatmate through the year! I like that when I think aloud, you sometimes answer. :) AR! Lab kita sobra. More gyozas for the both of us (and I mean the literal ones :P)
- The email thread team Ponch, Sars, and Chess - Our crazy email threads are real stress relievers. More to come next year. :)


Work has also been crazy this year. In the earlier part, I was very close to taking a break and changing careers. Obviously, I haven't chosen that path but instead grew with my teams during the year. I'm happy where I am right now. I'm happy with my teams and I can see that we can still continue to grow and help each other in the coming year. :)

If there's one event that stood out this year, it would surely be when I turned 25. I've mentioned this so many times before; this year gave me the happiest birthday yet. With family, friends, and you, everything was very memorable. I know this for a fact because whenever I say that I'm happy, it means I'm overflowing with happiness that I just have to say it out loud. So thank you for making my birthday this year one for the books. :)



2009 was also a hard year for all of us. The loss of Pres Cory, Ondoy, Pepeng, and the Maguindanao Massacre stand out as noted events that impacted a lot of people. On a personal level, I've grown apart from a close friend, there were times that I worried about work too much, I don't pray as often as before and I've gotten myself hurt. In some aspects, it has also been a tough year. There are times I feel that I just came back to where I was exactly a year ago. But I think the key right now is really moving on and leaving all this behind.

It has been happy and challenging year in a lot of ways. It has brought a lot of changes, I got to experience new things and met new people who left their own marks in my life. And through everything, my family has always been there. From my daily late night arrivals to the vacations, the challenges, the extensive singing and dancing in the car, the quiet moments, and the good and not-so-good food, they have always been there. And even if you take away everything I've just mentioned, I'm certain they will still be. :) It's amazing how big a chunk of my life is spent with family and I wouldn't have it any other way in the years to come. :) BIG shout outs to Papa, Mama, Kris and Pau! And other people close to my heart especially bulingits Sean and Shay! :) Thank YOU for everything!

So this is it -- I hear the first batches of fireworks going off outside and 2009 is finally coming to a close. I'm very thankful for the year that was and at the same time, I'm super excited for the experiences, people, and places that 2010 will bring. I don't know why, but I have a giddy-good feeling about 2010! Through God's help I'll be able to have another great year. :) Always with and through Him. :) And always for and because of Him. :)

It's been a long post, and all I can say is thank you for being part of my life and looking forward to spending more years with all of you. :)

Here's to a happy 2010!!! :)