How do you measure a year?

In daylights
In sunsets
In midnights
In cups of coffee
In inches
In miles
In laughter
In strife

How about love?

I had a surge of inspiration right after catching the Tony Awards on cable tonight, and hearing one of my favorite Broadway songs sung live by the original cast. Watching Rent on Broadway makes it to my dreamlist of things to do in the Big Apple (apart from watching Saturday Night Live, uh, live). Well duh, who doesn't watch a Broadway play when they go to New York anyway? Oh, how I'd love to hit NY as soon as my grubby hands save up enough cash to lose myself in Manhattan's streets....

And how timely to hear that song at this exact moment of the year. The last day finally arrives; the finale looms expectantly ahead. Right as I type this, there are approximately twelve hundred minutes left before the year finally says Adieux! That's it, the year that was 2008 is about to take its curtain call tonight, and once again, tons of stupid and reckless people will even lose fingers and body parts as proof of how much we just want to get it over and done with already. But do we really want it done?

Every December, people always say how time flies, how the year just seemed to have come and gone with such haste. But you can't help but feel a little nostalgic, how you've actually survived the last twelve months and lived to tell. Lived to tell the fun, lived to tell the shame. Either way, there is nothing quite like this year. Like the adage goes, time goes by fast when you're having fun. And my 2008 was like riding on a shinkansen, a bullet train.

I'd happily break down everything that happened this year, but that would just be too much. When it comes to rating surprises and unexpectedness, 2008 wins by a couple of notches. There were points throughout the year where I must've chucked all sanity out the window and dove to unknown pits: career-wise, love(?)-wise, experience-wise. Happiness-wise, definitely. And as I laugh at, cringe, and embrace the person I've become (or not become) this year, one thing is for sure.

The search for happiness is still top priority. ♥

In the spirit of Thanksgiving

Too much, too many reasons to give thanks.

Especially for this year.

I don't even know where the year went, and in about a month, 2008 is closing. Already. I feel like I'm still hung over from the holidays last year, and I didn't even do anything extraordinary. Everything that happened this year feels that vivid.

But still, I have a lot to be thankful for, even though I feel that for the most part, my 2008 has been one big whoop, and I just thoughtlessly threw myself in this big tornado. With no escape plan. Yet I'm thankful that I went through everything that I experienced... and did not experience. Either way, I feel like in a span of a year, I've changed. Subtly, slowly, eagerly. And most importantly, for the better.

The Big Guy

I know for sure that I completely and utterly fell even more in love with my God. That alone makes this year so much worth it. I still worry about the most pointless and unnecessary things, but knowing Someone's got my back (even at my most stubborn times) makes me a little bit more relaxed now. Makes me live life the way I should, negative vibes be damned. I know He's taking care of all those, my lifetime homework is just to be good and trusting. The former isn't so hard, but the latter isn't always the easiest thing to do when you're genetically designed to think that bad things lurk at the corner, waiting to make life miserable. Though like I said, it's a slow change, and my brain has yet to fully adapt to this whole "He's got it, everything'll always be OK" mantra.

Family and friends

When people find out I'm in my mid-20's, the inevitable, err, "other half" question is perpetually raised. And all I can manage to answer is "I don't know." But when I really thought about it, it's because I've already got this incredible support system of family and friends that I don't feel the need to go out looking for something more to "complete" me, if I may borrow a line from Jerry. Having my little band is more than enough.

When I've made a decision to do the unthinkable; my family and friends were the ones who were behind me 100% of the way. And being with them now, finding time to bond with each of them is a natural high that I haven't felt in a while. It's in their company that I feel absolutely at home - like a lazy Sunday afternoon. You just lounge back and not worry about anything else, there's just bliss.

Life, and everything in between

There's always that need to learn more, to experience more. To be more. And this year, I decided to give that a try. And honestly, it was never easy from the get-go.

People think it's just faaaab to be out there by yourself, like you magically transform into some Carrie Bradshaw and poof! There goes the opening song, and suddenly you're strutting down the street in your Choos or Blahniks, living your own episode of whatever whatever. But it's not. There's so much sacrifice, so much strength... TONS of strength to pull it off. Loneliness and homesickness will always be the enemy, but finding the right people to spend time with in a city that isn't your home has been the best remedy. And I am but thankful that I found my band of sisters who've helped me cope. We have been each other's sanities; we get the strength from each other to make it through every single, stress-induced day. It's been tough, but knowing that they are there makes the life that we've chosen for ourselves bearable.

There are still too many dreams, too many things wanting to be accomplished, and I can only keep hoping that they're in His plans for me, too. Christmas, the one season I piss over with too much excitement, is only just days away. And for once, I try not to look forward to it because I still don't know where I'll be spending my holidays. Things are very unpredictable. But at the moment, I am just doubly grateful to be in the here and now.

Happiness is an understatement.

Deep city lights part deux

This would've gone perfectly well with the previous entry, Singapore's welcome gift for me on my first Saturday night out and about:

I'm so jologs and don't have a digicam with me, so I tried to capture the full moon's perfection with my handy dandy phone. My first breathtaking sight of Sing... I'm such a sucker for full moons, and this sight just had me floored. I feel like breaking into a song whenever I see this pic. 

Moonriveeeerrrrr...

Deep city lights, a girl could get lost tonight

Deep city lights
Girl could get lost tonight
I'm finding every reason to be gone
There's nothing here to hold on to
Could I hold you?
- City, Sara Bareilles

Today is the first time in a week that I'm staying put at home. I've gone out every single day since Tuesday of last week, but today, I'm all parked with nothing in the itinerary. Do I feel restless? Damn right, I do! It's bad enough not having anything to do when you're at home, but not having anything to do in a different country is an entirely different story.

But so far, the ride has been great. I still have a 5-minute reality check everytime I wake up to remind myself that I am not in my own room, no Mom downstairs chatting with my Pop, no siblings to argue with, and no chaotic Manila outside my house to greet me. I'd be lying if I say I don't miss it, I try to think of blueberry cheesecake instead when I get the strongest urge to hug my dogs, because otherwise I'll be whizzing my way back to Changi Airport to book me some Manila tickets. Which my mom will definitely not find amusing, AT ALL.

Surprisingly, I almost know my way around the city, thanks to the super efficient MRT and bus station that they have here. It goes without saying that in only a week's time, I have already managed to get lost about SIX frigging times. Getting off the wrong bus stop, getting lost in the enormous train stations, lost in "Sing-lish" translation... It can get frustrating and half the time I feel like sitting in a corner facing the wall and start chanting some Indian mantra, but I think it's moments like finding my way around alien territory that make my entire system feel more alive.

Another thing about SG that I fell in love with are the gargantuan bookstores. With an even more GINORMOUS array of titles and authors, some even unheard of. There's Kinokuniya Books and Borders along Orchard Road that I can spend hours in just browsing through every aisle; they have an entire section about Asian authors which had me fangirling at first sight. One visit alone had my growing book wish list multiply about ten-fold, it's absolute heaven for book dorks like me.

And so far, little girl has a lot to learn. When I was talking to this local about how efficient and great the city is, he took one long puff of his cig and said amidst curls of smoke, "you obviously haven't been here long enough." Wow, nega much? I laughed my head off thinking it was a joke, I had to be nice after all (I just bummed a cigarette from him). Hanging out with my ex-officemate K helped a lot in terms of sanity issues, and it's great to have someone to bitch with in this la-LAH-land. We go crazy over the fact that no one sells yosi by tingi, because it's so friggin' overpriced!! So don't take for granted those takatak boys back home! Hahaha!

But all in all, everything is OK, lah. If only they have taho and turon here, then I'll definitely be all good.

Stage sister, much?

I can't help but be absolutely proud when I saw this pic*:

That's my super beloved friend Nico directing my brother Bok, for Nico's short film. Nico got Pen Medina and some ABS-CBN child actress to act in his film, and I'm really proud of him for finally making it happen! I'm such a stage sister, I'm so proud of Bok for going after his acting passion. Who knew he had it in him? The minute I saw him perform onstage for his first real play at CCP, I just knew this is what he's meant to do. So proud of him.

I'm just bummed I wasn't there to see it for myself. Ho-hum, sucks to be away from home sometimes.

*Pic taken by Rav

Joining the bandwagon

About a month or two ago, I was forcing my 17-year old cousin to start reading Twilight, because I was surprised she still wasn't bit by the Edward bug for a teenager. After dining out with my family tonight, she just couldn't wait to get home to start reading, and is already a Twilight convert as I write.

I'm pretty sure she's losing sleep like NOW, and is already squealing like a Bella just how the rest of us fangirls did. She swears she already loves Edward Cullen (aka Robert Pattinson), but still has the hots for Daniel Radcliffe. I told her she'll forget about Daniel when she finishes reading Twilight. She says she'll see.

What I would give to be 17 again, and have those kinds of silly choices to make instead.

Daydreams and sunshine kisses

It's those rare days when you feel a lot of love for no reason; like the feeling when staring at the sun while it sets on the beach. It's beautiful, it's perfect, it's bliss. You close your eyes, and let the warmth of the sun kiss your face and embrace you whole before it makes its final, radiant bow for the day. That's kind of how it's been recently.

I'm not saying it's been all perfect and peachy; of course I wouldn't be me without the requisite sarcasm and cynicism here and there. But lately, there's been little reason to be on the negative side, surprisingly. July has been a good month, a mellow and steady one with lesser drama (or none at all). Off the top of my head, there have been a couple of moments that give me a nice, cozy feeling with just the thought.

Late-night coffee and non-work girl talk after the Preview party (not fun standing on 4-inch heels for hours!), driving on an empty Tagaytay highway one chilly Saturday night, my brother's goofy grin once granted access in the VIP area (his first, and hopefully not his last, FHM party), my sister all dolled-up for a night-out, seeing my by-line on three pages, resting on the sidewalk after a smooth albeit killer FHM show, spontaneous movie dates, the love of my life Edison Chen's cameo in Dark Knight, pigging out with whacked-out high school friends, late night chats with BFFs from the other side of the globe, any time spent with the family, all-nighter phone conversations, doggie kisses, a day's garage sale on a blistering hot weekend capped with dinner by the bay, watching the brightness of the full moon on a Friday night train.

The sweet roar of laughter, a glint in the eye, pats on the back, stolen glances, rare treats, a chilly breeze, lingering kisses, mischievous smiles, bear hugs, traces of rain on the window, late afternoon sun, a good book in bed. These are a few of my favorite things... In a nutshell, that's what it's been all about.

Maybe I'm getting steadier with age; I notice I haven't been as much of a drama duchess recently than how I was in the years past. Even just hearing a nice song in my player or on the radio can set me off on a state of love zen, and I'm happy it doesn't just take a man for me to feel that.

No need for a man... for now anyway. With the crazy-ass adventure I'm about to embark on in a few weeks, I think I can use one in the near future. Sometimes, nothing can make a person feel more alive than triple-skipping heartbeats - and not just because of too much espresso. Besides, I hear a little blush goes well with a glowing smile. ;)

x o x o

After a tiring afternoon out, which basically had me literally joyriding (if there's even any hint of joy-ness in it) around the Metro (long story, don't ask), I just had to squee when I got back to the office, and saw this pic on justjared.com:

Seriously, how cute are they?? Just a month or so off-air, and already I'm missing these Upper East Side kids. The cast of Gossip Girl is in the August 2008 issue of Vanity Fair; they're billed as "Hollywood's New Wave" of stars. I love how Penn Badgley and Blake Lively look so natural as a couple together (because they are in real life ;) ), with matching Penn's pa-bad boy look, kinda like dork-meets-rugged type... *insert 5-minute sigh* And will you look at Leighton Meester and Taylor Momsen's BFF arm-lock? They are obviously not posing as their characters here, because I doubt Queen B and Little J can even be in the same state and NOT want to pull each other's hairs out.

I love Ed Westwick's rockstar aura in this pic, and how there's no trace of Chuck Bass in him at all (meaning not looking like he's going to pounce on the next thing that walks by him in a skirt), and they might as well cut Vanessa off the whole picture. See, I don't even know her real name! Haha, I'm such a hater, I know. Of course they had to put the one most capable of stopping hearts just by existing in the middle of the pack, even with the windblown man-bangs. Chace Crawford is one big, yummy mass of L-O-V-E.

Fangirl, much? ;)

The sweetest thing

During the Father's Day dinner we hosted for our Lolo last night, we started talking about death. It was so random, I think it went a little like, "Pota, ang taas na ng gas! Oh by the way, would you like a white or blue casket when you die?" I think it was my Lolo's memorial plans that he's just finished paying for, which brought on the topic. It's funny how my family can discuss death like how we would talk about the weather.

Me: Lolo, pa-cremate ka na lang. Tapos ikakalat ko ashes mo sa mga favorite places mo. (I just watched Elizabethtown that day.)

Lolo: Ayaw ko, gusto ko ilibing.

Me: Hindi mo na naman mafi-feel kapag sinusunog ka na eh.

Lolo: Gusto ko magkasama kami ng lola mo.

Me: .... Aww.

He was talking about my grandmother, who died four years ago. I'm not trying to pull a gothic act here, I just thought it was really sweet how he said it. Like it was the most natural thing for them to be together even after death.

*Cue in silent tears while gazing out the window*

Turtle and the Butingtings

With all the nitty-gritties this past week and the weeks to come, everything just seemed to float away to the unknown when I came home from a really early calltime for work on a SUNDAY to find this:

If there are three people who can flick my happy switch on in an instant, it would have to be these uber makukulit tikes. (Of course, my dogs are on an entirely different level of love and happiness pa rin). My godson Turtle (or Miguel. The nickname I made for him when he was an infant just stuck to me for some reason) officially turns 1 today (whoop!), and there are Ysobel and Mateo who keep getting more and more hyper with each Sunday lunch at Lola's house. These three were the only kids at Turtle's merienda party this afternoon, but with all the ingay and kalikutan, they could've amounted to TEN kids. Ibang level na ang energy nila, it's quite a chore to keep up with them now... or baka naman shet, tumatanda lang kasi talaga ako? Hinde, it must be the Promil. I bet merong some kind of drug yun for kids that put them on a sugar high or something.

My, my, they're growing up too fast. It wasn't too long ago when I was writing about what cute little babies they all are for my first Love Thursday entry. Now, they're like little balls of tireless energy everywhere they go. Sunday lunch becomes the best part of the weekend because of them, and it gets even rowdier especially now that Turtle has officially started walking... and is now joining Ysobel and Matt-Matt in the chasing and screaming that is now the norm around the dining table. But even with all the noisy clutter of screeches and screams and wails here and there, I'd prefer no other sound than those. :)

Pappy-Taffy

I thought I wouldn't get to talk to my daddy-O today since I missed him during his and my mom's daily morning chat. But I finally caught him just now online, and absolutely loved the look on his face when I showed him my Father's Day gift via webcam (a Men's Health shirt I got from the All-Terrain Race), it was priceless. He's been wanting a Men's Health shirt of any kind for ages, so I'm really happy I got him one just in time (at dri-fit pa, why not). Now, the old chap can't wait to come home and try it on. Haha! Hope y'all had a blast with your dads today!

can anyone tell me where i can find...

Jim Sturgess?

Because I'm like, totally in love with him right now.

I watched Across the Universe over the weekend with my siblings (a rare occasion that we all sat through an entire movie together), and loved the whole thing. I thought he was really cute with the thick Brit accent and the rugged look going on from the beginning, but not until he sang one of my favorite Beatles songs, Something, did I realize that I want him to father my babies. Two words: WOTTA HOTTIE!

I didn't know he was also in The Other Boleyn Girl as the Boleyn brother, so I was ecstatic when I caught it on DVD in the same weekend, and his name jumped right out of the screen during the opening credits. No one else could possibly look cuter in an old English petticoat than how he did. Lurrrve him! So now I can't wait to catch 21, where he basically canoodles, sucks face, and exchanges a whole lotta body fluid with Kate Bosworth. Booooo.

three L's

Like how my girl Carrie says, girls flock to New York to find two L's: Labels and Love. I add one more L to that: Living the Sex and the City lifestyle. Haha!

The SATC movie did not disappoint at all, I loved every single minute of it. It's like watching an entire season packed in two hours. I miss miss miss the girls so much! It has been four years since SATC closed its curtains on HBO, and I can still remember how I'd spend late night marathons in front of the tube just watching them. I remember blogging about it in 2004 when I watched the finale and cried like a baby. Everything about SATC always spells F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S: from Carrie's Blahniks, to Charlotte's Upper East Side air, Miranda's lawyer-isms, even Samantha's nymphomaniac tendencies... which can spawn an entire movie of its own, come to think about it. It was love seeing the girls walking down the New York streets together again, and on the big screen, no less! I don't know any girl who wouldn't like this movie. Whoever doesn't, wag mo na ipagmalaki. Weird ka, yun lang. Haha!

"I love you, but I love me more"

Samantha has always been my favorite SATC character, and after she said this line, I found more reasons to love the gal. I love how she makes self-absorption feel so right. Just the way single, go-getting lay-dees roll!

I haven't blogged for such a long time, I don't even know how to write a closing statement properly now. So, the end?

a love affair with summer

I closed my eyes and let the warmth of the sun and the cool breeze of the wind kiss my skin. What pleasure to feel fire and ice, heat and cold embrace me whole.

I looked out the window and saw the sea winking back at me like tiny little diamonds. I blew the ocean a kiss goodbye, and smiled against the wind stroking my face happily.

I looked up at the sky and realized this is the first time I've seen it in perfect blue this year. The summer sun looks happy to be back. The clouds finally gave him peace and let him do what he does best. I gave the sun my most beautiful smile, because I want him to know I'm happy he has arrived. He smiled back by giving me a warm hug. The waves continue to murmur their farewells.

I haven't been this happy for a while.

- Pagudpud en route to Laoag, March 2008

The happy thing about life is its way of surprising you from out of nowhere. I don't like being excited because then expectations tend to build up, but I feel like I'm finding more reasons to be happy and excited recently. But I like it, the whole peek-a-boo game that's going on. The right-hand-or-left-hand game. I seem to be peeking at the right places and choosing the correct hand. :)

It's stupid to ask for summer to last forever, but I'm loving this particular season more for some reason. That sigh has a lot to be contented about. For now, it's smart to relish every moment with love. And a lot of thanks.

here comes the sun

I finally had my dose of sea, sand and sun after waiting for so long! And I absolutely love it that we made it all the way to the shores of Ilocos Norte, a place we haven't been to (except for Fran); a place so far up north, you can actually get faint frequency signals from Taiwan (no kidding!). So yeah, this officially starts my summer, and I couldn't be happier because it seems like I've been waiting for summer for so long! Not that I'm not loving the cool weather the past couple of months, but I'm really not good with the cold. You can throw me on a tropical island and I'll be good (so long as I have a ton of sunscreen), but I don't know what I'll ever do in a land with snow and below-zero-degrees temp. Brr! I'm a pure island girl like that.

Pagudpud, definitely one for the books! I recommend anyone wanting to explore the beauty of this country to go up there and see for yourselves. It's like a place I've never imagined the Philippines to have! Staying in Manila for so long will really make you want to puke your heart out because this city is just whacked out of proportion already, so it's a nice breather to see the countryside, where the real beauty of this country is, firsthand. And Pagudpud / Ilocos Norte is all that and so much MORE! We've got tons of pictures here and here and here to prove it! But frankly, no amount of fancy cameras can do justice to Pagudpud, it's best seen with your own eyes ;)

It felt like being in a completely different land, so knowing my country actually has a place like this (and possibly thousands more, what with all the other islands we have), it added another reason why I love my homeland. Yes, I'm making it a life-long mission to find ways and reasons to fall in love more with the Philippines and be proud of my roots as a Pinoy. Even if the politics and showbiz here make it a wee bit impossible sometimes, I'll settle with what's outside Manila.

On to even happier news...

PAPA'S HOME! He finally made it after waiting for how many months! I was feeling really sorry for him that he couldn't come home since Christmas, but now that he made it in time for summer, it's even better! Looks like the coming weeks will be a blast woot woot! :)

in 1-2-3

I decided I want to bullet-ize (whut? not really sure if that's even a term) but there have been plenty of noteworthy things that went on over the past weeks. Lately, I've been becoming really lazy when it comes to blogging; I can't even write a decent entry in my own personal diary, also known as The Mica Burn Book. But anyhoos, highlights so far. I'm afraid if I don't put them down anywhere, I might lose them in my goldfish of a memory. Hear, hear:

> Watching my brother Bok (yes, the ever so rebellious sonuva *toot* diguised as my youngest brother) in an actual play. I couldn't quite put words on the emotions I felt once I saw him emerge on stage (at the CCP Main Theater lang naman), I think some people coin it as proud. And really happy. I can't believe he's all grown up, and that he actually had a serious bone in him to take the whole play seriously. He was amazing playing an old geezer, too, complete with wrinkly makeup and the lolo kuba effect. And even if he only had one speaking line, we heard him all the way at the back sans microphone. Galing! Teatrong-teatro ang dating :)

> The Twilight casting. For the bookworms at heart, I'm sure you may have heard of the Twilight series craze that's been going on for a while now... well mostly amongst teeners, but wth! I'm still a sucker for cheesy love stories, add in a few fantasy characters in the form of HOT vampires and werewolves, and I'm hooked like tilapia on a fishpole. If you want to feel good, Twilight will deffo, hands down, make you fall in love like mad!

So yeah, a movie is in the works and the final casting for the Cullens (the vampire family) is out. And I must've hyperventilated because Edward Cullen and Jacob Black will finally be "real"! I don't care if they don't exist, I'm in love with a vampire and Robert Pattison better kick ass in this one because no guy can probably measure up to the perfection that is Edward Cullen.

It's gonna take a few more years for my werewolf lover Jacob Black to materialize into god-status hotness, though. Team Jacob!

> AI fever in the office. Thanks to my lovable officemate Allan, who has spread the American Idol madness to all of us, 6PM Wednesdays and Thursdays have turned into some sort of holy hour. We even have an official snack to go with the sacred viewing: Tempura (that cheap kropek-ish snack). So yeah, work basically stops at the strike of 6 when we place mats on the floor in front of the telly and start worshipping David Archuleta and Ramielle Malubay like crazy. Although I love Jason Castro, that whole beach vibe is just mmmmmm!

> And more TV show fever. For Myra's 25th birthday, we decided to do it like the party animals that we are: spending a lazy Saturday pigging out on pizza and chips and lying down on our asses the whole night/day with Gossip Girl DVD marathon. S and Lonely Boy! Chuck and B! Nate and... Me!

On that note, here's a lame attempt at doing an S and B shoutout... Happy birthday, M! Love, M.

> Family bonding over Sarah Silverman's I'm Fucking Matt Damon and Jimmy Kimmel's I'm Fucking Ben Affleck videos on YouTube. Hey, we don't get a lot of those lately (bonding, not f-ing), so I'm gonna grab every opportunity there is. And if f*cking gets our attention as a family, so be it. Err...

> Downloading Grey's Anatomy songs! I finally finished watching the 3rd season, and still can't believe Burke l354q423... and George $@*&$^#... Oh hell, watch it and see for yourselves. But the soundtrack is love, and honestly, this is the only way I get to discover new songs. So yey for a new playlist in my iPod :)

And this week, I can almost smell what's got to be my upcoming highlight for the month - BEACH! Finally, after more than a year of tanline anticipation... I don't care if the weather is still freezing, I just need to smell the salty air and I'll be stoked!

she made bad look good

Memoirs Of A Geisha on HBO is one of the my only highlights this February. I can watch it countless of times, and never get tired of it. My favorite book based in my favorite country and my favorite actress in the entire world (Zhang Ziyi, who I've been worshipping since forever), fused together in one breathtaking movie. It was too good to be true, it's like Hollywood's personal present to me! This is probably the only movie adaptation that truly lived up to the book, if not made it even better.

And Gong Li gained a fan after I saw this flick. She will be my favorite 'bad guy' of all time; she made evil look so good... for a time, I seriously wanted to be a conniving villainess like her, too! Haha! Hands down, the best contravida evah.

WANTED: prayers

When I was old enough to realize that my parents' wedding anniversary is as old as me, I vowed to myself that I will give them something outrageous on their 25th year (I thought I'd be shitting money by the time I'm 25). I wanted to prepare a proper wedding for them, because back in 1983, the only wedding they had consisted of four people: my parents, my lola, and the priest (five actually, I think I was already a tiny speck of something by that time. haha!). That had been my greatest dream as a child, and I haven't talked about that idea to anyone until, well, now.

Fast forward to 24 years and 362 days or so (not counting leap years and such, do the math if you care), and my folks' silver anniversary dangerously looms ahead. And nope, sad to say but my dreams of shitting money did not make it anywhere near reality, so no wedding there. But that isn't really where the problem lies. For the past 7 or so years that he has been abroad, Papa has been routinely going home every December and goes back to work at the end of January - in time for the holidays and more importantly, their wedding anniversary. But of all the years he could've not gone home, he does so now because of some stupid balbas-sarado Arabo slacker who still hasn't fixed his papers so my old man can properly exit and re-enter his point of origin.

It's ok that he missed Christmas and New Year with us, but I'm thisclose to freaking out if he still doesn't make it to his and my mom's anniversary. And this is where I ask plead - nay, beg on bended knees - anyone who reads this to include my parents, my dad in particular, in your prayers that he makes it home in three days' time. What's left of my hope is slowly easing through the cracks, but until 11:59PM strikes on January 20, I'm holding on to a knife that li'l old Pops hopefully wishfully miraculously steps out of NAIA and into my mom's open arms with annoyingly loud ngalngal while looking up to the heavens and have those ridiculous cheesy reunions you will only see in a low-budget government-sponsored ad for OFWs. If not, I'm pretty sure God will explain the reason when we meet, and give me an earful on my Judgment Day for personally hunting down and beheading said Arabo who refuses to move his ass and bring my daddy-O back home.

R.I.P. 2007

2007 was my year of a LOT of rollercoaster emotions, and i'm not even talking about the romantic type. i just felt like there were a lot of things i wished i'd done better: at work, in life... which is really sad considering that i was looking forward to 2007 because it was supposed to be "my year". but hey, it's over, and i can finally breathe a sigh of relief and just look forward to 2008 with fingers crossed ;)

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
Go abroad! My first time to travel to a different country, with my highschool bud Mars!

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I've actually stopped making resolutions, since i'm really bad at keeping them. I'm basically bad at keeping anything I promise to myself, so there.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yep, my cousin's wife. Miguel/Turtle was a really pleasant gift to all of us this year.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My dad's cousin, Tito Amon, a few days before Xmas. We weren't close, but I'd always seen him at every family reunion.

5. What countries did you visit?
Thailand. And hopefully more this year! Yeaaahhhh I think I know where my savings will go in 2008

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
Beach trips. I didn't have any in 2007 *insert shock*, and I'm honestly not liking my un-tanned, un-beach/sunkissed color :/

7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
07.07.07. I've been looking forward to this date for YEARS, and well... let's just say things took a different turn for me on that date, and the days after that.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
There were some challenges that I really thought would kill me, but I managed to pull through... And some that just downright made me wish I were dead. Haha! Just being able to live through those experiences, I guess.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not being strong enough in some moments, being weak and letting my emotions take the better of me

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Oh yeah! My first surgery and hospital confinement, too.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane tickets to Bangkok ;)

12. Where did most of your money go?
The good thing about my 2007 was that I sort of swore I'd save up. After my trip, I was actually able to swear off shopping

13. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Hmm, again I'd say Bangkok. Although it was met with a LOT of apprehensions and doubts at first.

14. What song will always remind you of 2007?
I really made strangers with the radio, so I've been SOOOO outdated when it comes to music. But one song that made it to loop in my player was Over It by Katharine McPhee.

15. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Met up with old friends.

16. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Having unpredictable mood swings, basically being Grumpy incarnate

17. How did you spend Christmas?
Slept. Had sardinas and tuyo for lunch. Not kidding. It wasn't such a big deal at home this year, and no one's really complaining.

18. At any point in this past year did you do something that you consider to be completely out of your usual character?
None naman.

19. Did you fall in love in 2007?
Oh my goodness... if I said I fell in love with Japanese boys who sing and dance in cheesy boybands, and a fictional vampire character, will those count?

20. What was your favourite new TV program?
Hands down, GOSSIP GIRL!! - same here, My! ;)

21. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I decided to stop seeing and speaking to certain people this year. For good.

22. What was the best book you’ve read this year?
Oh boy, I loved 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez... but I loved Twilight more (AAAAAHHHHH I LOOOOOOVE EDWARD CULLEN!!!) I have yet to finish the rest of the Twilight series, and I'm blaming Myra for this new-found obsession in fictional Gaspard Ulliel-looking vampires!

23. What was your greatest musical discovery?
J-pop. *a whole LOT of dorkiness alert* Hey, I've gone beyond the Jap boybands I squeal over like a high school girl adore, I actually find the whole J-pop thing interesting... I found a few other Japanese artists with really nice songs ;)

24. What did you want and get?
An unforgettable "first" major trip

25. What did you want and not get?
A million dollars? haha

26. What was your favourite film of this year?
Transformers!

27. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 24, and I had dinner with my family

28. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A worry-free mind hehe

29. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
A bit of the jeans-sneakers, a bit of the babydoll dresses-flipflops type.

30. What kept you sane?
My fangirling... seriously!

31. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Err... Matsumoto Jun and Ueda Tatsuya... Akanishi Jin, Kamenashi Kazuya... All of Arashi and KAT-TUN actually ;) (HAHAHAHA OH GOSH MAJOR DORKFEST!!!) And of course, Edison Chen will forever top my list.

32. What political issue stirred you the most?
None. Couldn't care less about the whole political brouhaha

33. Who was the best new person you met?
Miguel! It's unbelievable how he can brighten up my day with his very existence

34. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
Whatever life throws at you, no matter how insanely difficult and harsh, you CAN get through them with a LOT of prayers and determination ;)

35. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"You were born from the wreckage of your silent reverie" - Angel, Sarah McLachlan