Last day of 2010...

I guess this is how it's going to be from now on... I write a post at the end of the year, the new year and a mid-year post. It's not like I'm intentionally trying to kill my blog, but with the advent of micro-blogging, photo-blogging and social networking sites, I'm really having a hard time expounding what could be said in a 140 character tweet or a facebook album into a full blown blog entry.

Anyway...let's see, so the second half of 2010 was a mixed bag. There were some happy moments, like the Coron trip with my HP teammates, my Singapore-Malacca trip to visit Maitz and Jeng, Cebu with Tere, lunchouts with my SLF friends, turning 28, Quest Crew in Manila and various family outings and eat outs that I always appreciate. But then, there are my frustration with new work, missing my old work (and the travels that came with it), and worst of all, the loss of Nanay and with it the death of the routines and traditions that I grew up with - like being in Magallanes every week, birthday blowouts by the extended family, Christmas/New Years with the Espiritus. It's been a totally different holiday season.

So again I resort to Retail Therapy...for the 2nd half of the year I totally gave in to gadget lust and bought a new laptop, a new cellphone and a new camera. For the laptop, a pink Dell Inspiron with a Core i5 processer, 4GB RAM and 1GB dedicated video card and 500GB storage. My new cellphone is a pink/white Android-powered Sony Ericsson Xperia X8. Yea, I'm finally going back to SE after a few years with my LG. And last but not least, my black Sony TX5 camera - waterproof, dustproof, shockproof (with a DicaPac case courtesy of Jeng for taking pics at depths over 10 feet).

Overall, I think 2010 was still an amazing year full of memories, new beginnings and fresh starts. Some goodbyes and traditions came to an end, but it's also an opportunity to make new traditions that are totally our own. I know I have been very blessed this year, and I'm very thankful for all the opportunities and blessings that came our way. So I can't complain about the year that was, and I'm only more hopeful and optimistic about the year to come.

And what's a new year post without resolutions??? I normally don't make them because I always end up breaking them, but this year I have two major goals that I need to set in stone (or in blog).

1. Finance - Need to get my act together, saving, investing, no more expensive lunch outs, no more unplanned spendings, no more impulse buys and yes to responsible use of credit. Of course this doesn't mean no more travels, just everything in moderation.

2. Health - I am getting old. A fact that became painfully obvious when I cleaned out my closet and organized old pictures. My health is not what it used to be, I can no longer binge and expect my metabolism to catch up. I need to exercise, need to lose weight, need to start eating healthy in 2011. Good thing that with age also comes the taste for vegetables. :)

So I guess that's about it. I'm feeling very sloth-like and sluggish this afternoon, probably due to some cold medications I'm taking. My sisters and I are planning to drink and be merry tonight...let's hope I'm up to it. Happy New Year Everyone!

Cheers to 2011!

Goodbye 2009!

31-December-2009

I usually make a long post about the year that was and what I'm looking forward to come the New Year, this year, I'll try to keep it short. Anyway, this is my first new year away from home, away from my family...and I'm almost thankful for the loads of work I have to do, because then I don't need to dwell on the fact that I'm not with them this holiday season.

I'm in Bratislava, by the way.

This year has been a mix of ups and downs for me. I remember being so excited, then let down, then fulfilled, then frustrated, you get my drift right? It's more extreme than in previous years, and I can't really elaborate because I try not to be too specific in my blog posts. But if you're close to me, then you probably know what a rollercoaster 2009 has been for me, personally and professionally...okay, mostly professionally, haha.

But then, I'm not one to dwell on the negative, and I'm still ending the year with a positive outlook and a firm hope that 2010 will be a better year.

And 2009 was the year I finally got to Rome, which I've always wanted to go to ever since I can remember. The Vatican was amazing and I will definitely try to go back here when I can. I even got to travel to the US this year with Maitz, and we were able to visit and do so many things and visit so many new places like Napa Valley, Boston and New York. I also traveled to Vienna, Hong Kong, Singapore and Palawan and got to see the unbelievable underground river caves. Looking back, it was a pretty fun year with all those travels. :)

And one of my dearest best friends also got married this year, Cess, I hope Aaron makes you happy and I wish you guys all the best! You deserve nothing less.

My project at work is finally going live, which is also the reason why I'm here right now, but I'm really happy about it because then, at last I can move on, hehehe.

Some of the bad, this year I will remember to be the year I got sick so many times... from asthmatic bronchitis in January, to gastritis in August with bouts of flu in between. Really, this year has been bad for my health, maybe next year will be better.

2009 year was also the year of such tragic deaths, like Michael Jackson, Francis Magalona, Cory Aquino and Brittany Murphy to name a few. May they rest in peace.

It's also been a year of natural disasters, from Ondoy to Pepeng to the Mayon volcano explosions.

Truly, it has been a rough year, but I believe 2010 will be a better year, a lot of new decisions to make, choices to take, places to travel, friends and family to love. Cheers to the new year everyone.

HAPPY 2010! :)