To 2011

Though it wasn't the best year that I ever had, still, that won't stop me to give thanks and be grateful for everything you have given me. I may have not gotten what I wanted, what I prayed and hoped for but nonetheless, you gave me chances... as a matter of fact, I just realized that those were the perfect things I really needed. With these, you gave me the opportunity to think and decide for myself and eventually.... I learned a lot from those. Lessons that will guide me as I face new challenges and countless blessings in the coming year. Thank you, 2011!

I Lived, Therefore, I Learned - My 2011

...putting an end to a special  friendship, passing away of  a loved one,  discovering a new friendship just to watch it bid goodbye so soon, realizing your "the one that got away“ and getting out of your way to prove something but eventually finding yourself in the losing end...

That's how my 2011 has been and to quote Claire Morgan's speech in the movie New Year's Eve: 

...the times we opened ourselves up to great adventures or closed ourselves down for fear of getting hurt... 

I tried both... giving same result.

And as I welcome the new year, I'll bring with me all the lessons I learned but will leave the experiences behind hoping for a better and stronger Candy in 2012.

2008: Looking Back

My plan for 2008 was simple. ENJOY LIFE! Which I'd started with over/super-late night gimiks and out-of-town trips: La Union, Subic, Tagaytay, Montemar and Boracay. Though my initial plan was to explore more of Philippine Wonders first, the Hongkong trip just couldn't wait. And when I was about to plan for a Singapore-Malaysia tour, a job offer from the Lion City came. Now, here I am, a very proud OFW in Singapore, enjoying the independence... battling homesickness... exploring more places... making new friends... getting super busy at work... living and loving each second of my life :)

And obviously, the biggest decision of my life happened this year. Oh well, I've noticed that every year, I've always come to a point in my life that I needed to decide on something big. Some made me cry, others made me smile, some made me wander, others made me tougher. And just like in my previous life-changing decisions, I have no regrets at all...NOTHING.

What would be in store for me next year? Ahhhh... I don't know. But one thing is for sure, no matter what or where 2009 will bring me into, I will always be the best person I can be :)

And before the Year of the Ox greets us, I wanna say thank you to my family, friends, colleagues who made my 2008 the most challenging yet fulfilling year for me. I know the Almighty One brought you all to me because He knew, I wouldn't be a better person that I am now if I'd take everything all by myself. Again, a warm and sincere thank you to all of you.

Happy 2009!!!!! :)

2007 - Realizations

Life
- we've got so many choices... lots of them... it's up to us to pick the right one...
- people change -- their priorities change... you cannot hold any grudges about the past...
- it is easier to say sorry than to ask for permission...
- experience, indeed, is the best teacher!

Love/Relationship
- if a guy cares for you, he wouldn't let you starve...
- if a guy cares for you, he wouldn't let you go home alone in the middle of the night...
- if a guy loves you, he would hurt you with truths but never with lies...
- some things are better left unsaid...
- never borrow someone else's man, if he cheats with you.... he'll cheat on you...
- if you're wrong, say sorry... if you're right... shut up!
- if a man wants you, nothing can keep him away... if a man doesn't want you, nothing can make him stay...

Career
- pick a job you like and you'll never work a day in your life...
- no matter what happens, be professional!
- don't just let things happen... make them happen!

Friends
- always get connected with your friends...
- time heals all wounds...
- true friends really do exist...

Thank You (s), Sorry (s) and Goodbye (s)

I would like to say thank you, sorry and goodbye to the following people who have greatly become part of my life this 2007:

Aedner - thank you for being my kuya (kahit mas matanda ako sa 'yo :P)... salamat sa mga unsolicited advice mo... and thank you for trusting me with your super personal stories.. :)

Augs - isa ka sa mga tumulong sa 'kin nung gabi na yun... thank you for helping me and comforting me... and most of all, sa lahat ng mga punchlines mo na sobrang nakakasakit ng tyan! :)

Bary - thank you for cheering me up on that day... thank you for that bit of info you shared with me which somehow boost up my self-confidence...

Belle - salamat sa pagpapahiram mo ng cellphone nung gabi na 'yun.. sorry dahil sa first time mong pagsama sa amin sa gimik.. ganun pa naging experience mo...

Don - thank you for the fun times and the sad times... salamat sa mga pangungumusta mo... sa mga gimik nights... at sa walang kamatayang one-liner mong..... "p**ah ka!" :D na sa t'wing naaalala ko, hindi ko mapigilang mapangiti..... ;)

Frankie - thank you for responding to my status message... you just don't know how badly I needed someone to talk to that night... thanks to a new friendship! :)

JayJay - you saw me laughed, you saw me cried... thank you for listening to me... thank you for teaching me what 'patience' really means... sorry for bullying you at times (or is it most of the time?)... it's just my way of showing you that I enjoy your company...

Jhie - thank you for the renewed, and this time, a better friendship... sorry if I've hurt you in the past... and goodbye to the sad times :)

Joy - thank you for being soooooooooo patient at work... thank you for all the help.. especially on installer issues.. hehehehe....

Mang Rudy - maraming salamat po sa pag-aasikaso sa 'kin habang nandyan ako sa ephil... kayo lang ang bukod-tanging bumabati sa akin ng "Good morning, ms. beautiful"... maraming salamat po!

Mitch - you were the first one to know... you were the first one I talked to... thank you for calling right away when I texted you... kahit nasa Singapore ka pa.. deadma ka sa international call rate hehehehe... 12 years of friendship and still going strong... :)

Niks - thank you for taking care of me when I was sick... thank you for welcoming me into your home during those times that I was lost... sorry if I've missed a lot of bonding sessions with you... kj ever ang friend mo e....

Olive - thank you for the inspiring messages you've been sending me... I know it wasn't easy to listen to other people's problems if you also have your own but still you were there to comfort me and making me realize that I am still a good person after all...

Pau - thank you for making me realize that things are not always what they seem... thank you for making me this strong, sorry if I've hurt you with my immaturity... sorry if my love wasn't enough to wait for the uncertainties... goodbye to a life full of pains and heartaches... is it also goodbye to a wonderful friendship?

Rey - pareng kuya rey, salamat sa pagtitiwala mong maging ninang ng bunso mo... sana hindi ka nagkamali... hehehehe.... salamat lalo na sa mga pagpapatawa...pasensya na rin kung may mga palpak akong builds at kung minsan mali yung mga nakukuhang help files... hehehehe...

Sherwin - pare, salamat sa lahat... lahat... lahat... ikaw ang una kong takbuhan pagdating sa mga isyung pang-trabaho... ang masaya nito, nagagawa nating pagtawanan kahit papano ang mga problema... at pare, salamat din dahil nakilala kita.. ;)

Tabel - salamat sa pangungulit mong manood ng Beyonce Experience... hehehe... salamat sa mga hirit mong walang palya... salamat sa mga gimik nights... at higit sa lahat, salamat sa paghatid mo (ninyo) sa akin nung nangyari yung nangyari sa Greenbelt... hindi ko makakalimutan yun...

TinTin - thank you for that silly question once you popped.. "ikaw ba ang nagpapa-complicate?", which started it all... thank you for tolerating my stupidity and yet you've shown me that life, indeed, has many choices... thank you for being my kakampi...

Year 2006

I was supposed to post this entry a week before the new year. But due to the earthquake that hit Taiwan, telecommunication facilities, including internet services, were damaged. I had a hard time posting my entries including my holiday entries. So here it goes.....

Less than a week before we bid goodbye to the year 2006, can’t help but think of the things that happened to me for the past year. The year of challenges, disappointments, experiments, confusion, decisions, good times, bad times, acceptance and rejection.


Family
My parents celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary in March. We’ve decided to spend their anniversary in Baguio. We spent 3 days and 2 nights in the Summer Capital of the Philippines from March 3-5. Their anniv is on the 4th.

In July, my family and I got the chance to experience IMAX at SM Mall of Asia. We watched Superman Returns and it was quite an experience.

We spent my nanay’s 58th birthday at Dampa in Macapagal Boulevard. We had several seafood dishes and got some desserts at the Iceberg’s in SM Mall of Asia.


Work
Started the year with news that I would be moved to another project. I was hesitant at first because I believed I was just starting to enjoy my new role in my current project. But fate had other plans for me, a major plan that really turned my life around. It was the first-ever decision I had made in my life that was full of hesitations. And I wasn’t surprised when it did not work the way it was supposed to. Three months of hell was not a joke. And how hell was it? Well, it came to a point that I almost gave up. I almost resigned. Yes, I have already submitted my resignation letter and to think that I had nowhere to go just in case that they had accepted it. That’s how work was hell to me. Good thing though, there were these people who helped me all throughout. I had no complaints with my co-workers, in fact, there were very supportive of me. It’s just that the situation came with the wrong person and at the wrong time.

Mid this year, I was moved back to where I left off. It wasn’t easy for me. I had to bring my confidence back, I had to prove that I could still do my work efficiently. My failure in the previous project should not reflect my ability and my credibility. And little by little, I am gaining my confidence back.

2006 was not a good year in terms of finances. The organization experienced dollar depreciation early this year which greatly affects our salary. The management and the staff had several discussions on how to cope with this but unfortunately, both parties did not come up with one concrete solution. Later this year, we had a consensus if we’re going to stay with the dollar or switch back to peso. The dollar won, and I guess that says it all.

On this year, we had our first overnight company outing. We had it in Puerto Galera. It was my 3rd time there but it still looked good to me. I was part of the outing committee and generally, we had a successful and meaningful team building and outing.

Due to some changes that the organization wanted to implement, the management decided to change the name of the company from Enterworks Philippines, Inc. to Teloworks Philippines, Inc.


Social Life
Oh well, such a memorable year for me. Been into so many gimiks, night outs, out-of-towns. January of this year, I had my first overnight out-of-town with Nikki, Jun, Tabel, Don, Beng and Mike in Lago de Oro, Batangas. I was just starting to enjoy my social life when I got involved in a very demanding project. No gimiks for 3 months!!!! $@#$@!$%^@$. But when I came back to my “normal life”, gimiks started to pour in.

It was in May when I had my first Friday gimik after a loooooooooongggg while. Got to join with new gimik buddies like Don and Mike. Still with the old ones, Nikki and Ning. Had my first taste of Cena and their very unique Frozen Gin Pomelo. This was just the start of a new weekly habit….gimik @ Cena on Fridays!

Cena, oh, Cena!!!! Such a memorable place. Anyways, in addition to Cena we also had a taste of Ice Vodka Bar, Absinth and Platinum KTV in Jupiter St. Sometimes, we stayed late in the office just to sing. Thanks to Don for his magic sing! Lav Yah!!!

In November, I had my first visit to Boracay with Tabel, Doths, Apaul, Nikki, Oyo, Augs and Pau. We stayed there for 4 days and 3 nights kaya lang bitin… hehehehe…

My college friends, the group we call Gosys, decided to have a reunion. We had it at Chili’s in Greenbelt. Marione, Det, LeeAnn, Raylan, Mitch and I completed the event.

Before the holidays, I tried to play billiards with Sherwin, Rey, Olive, Belle and Pau. I guess I have to stick with playing table tennis hahahahaha!!!!

Personal
1. Celebrated my 26th birthday with my family, dinner at Barrio Fiesta. 26 years of existence and still finding my purpose on this planet.

2. I started to lose some pounds in June, from 119, my weight dropped to 110!!! Hehehehe…

3. Planned to audition for PBB season 2 with Nikki but I backed out at the last minute.

4. Watched several live PBA games including the controversial semifinal game of SMB and Red Bull where the latter walked out from the playing court.

5. Changed my network provider from Smart to Globe and of course, I switched from Nokia to Sony Ericsson.

6. Had soul-searching, looked for my purpose, planned for my future.


Love Life
Still searching for the proper words to fill in this space. Want to help? :)