Birthday Wish List 2011

As the months of birthdays draw near, (and just in case someone is peeking)... allow me to share my own fearless wish list for my 28th on the 25th:

1. Bible
2. Arm Band for iPod Nano
3. Black and White thin belts
4. Party Bag
5. Strappy Sandals
6. Brasierre and Undies set
7. Calorie-count book
8. Anne Rice's Christ the Lord Series
9. Car Seat Covers
10. Auto-lock and auto-windows
11. Ipod Touch
12. Speakers Dock
13. Complete DVD seasons of a TV series
14. Trip to Bangkok
15. Espadrille Sandals
16. Taylor Swift CDs
17. New Earphones
18. Pedometer
19. Body Bag for Weekends
20. Belt Bag for Travel
21. Luggage Set
22. Bangles
23. White Gold Bracelet
24. Red Sexy Heels
25. LWD
26. Nina Garcia's Book on 100 Essentials
27. Hair Makeover: highlights, new cut, the works!
28. World Peace

A Year of Firsts in 2010 | A Year to Look Forward to in 2011

2010 was a year of definitive milestones, and many firsts:

• Fun Run - joined my first 3K in March for UL Run United, and ran 4 5Ks after for AACE Boston Run, Robinsons Buddy Run, Rexona Run, and again for Run United 2... all in good time! Woot!
  
• Blood Donation - UL's EC had a donation project, and it was a good opportunity to donate to Children's hospital. Was woozy a bit, but didnt mind doing it for a good cause.
  
• Pirates - sing and dance live to Aint That Mountain High Enough... wenches savvy!
  
• Boston & New York - first time to visit the East Coast, and it was the best time to see Nikki and the Family too! Niagara falls was spectacular!
  
• Dumaguete - summer adventures with Trippers, this time Ling joined us. Loved the Apo beach, papa Coco, and all the fun times with friends.
  
• Chorale Concert - Katuwaan in October was the fruit of months-long practices with the ISDF Chorale. Sang my first solo too: "dinggin mo... dinggin mo...." nerve-racking, but sooooo fulfilling after!
  
• Checking Account - first step towards professionalizing our business. Franchising, here we go!
  
• S&R, Wensha, CEO Suites, GoHotels - one of the few monthsaries with Ling... always loved going to new places and experiencing new things with Bebe
  
• Trattoria, Borough, Uncle Cheffys - new restos to celebrate monthsaries with Ling and reunions with old friends.
  
• Republiq - spotted: single PMG ladies partying it up at Republiq. Had fun getting lost and doing time on traffic (and parking) with Badet.
  

I am not certain what 2011 holds for me, but I am filled with hope for what the new year will bring. Definitely will focus on Health (drop down to 125 lbs!), Travel (Bangkok) and Business/MBA. Here's hoping that 2011 will bring forth more memorable firsts and more life-defining adventures. Let's bring it on!

Holidays 2010

Christmas Season came and went by so fast! With all the preparations and festivities, I had the best and happiest time celebrating my favorite holiday:

Old Traditions We Continued

• Greenhills Night Market – went twice, with family and Ling on our 22^nd monthsary. Isaw, Hotdog, BBQ, Popcorn, Shawarma, Scramble Bibingka, Twistix. Food trip galore! Thanks for the Adidias shirt too Ling!
• Pink-Red (and Gold) Christmas – congrats Lowlah Boppy for organizing again… was Garland Girl this year for all training institutions
• ISDF Caroling – rode with Hends this year, and got cookies from Mamu Babes to pass the time while in traffic. Had fun going around again on all offices. Field trip!
• LRI Drive Thru – level-up as the Christmas reindeers sang minus-one Tis the Season for all the offices
• Simbang Gabi – went alone on the first night, for Fr Gerry Orbos’s mass at Greenhills, then attended CTK evening mass with Ling for our monthsary, and again at dawn mass with the family J hope I can complete the 9 mornings one of these years…
• Exchange Gifts – PMG’s annual white elephant panic-mode exchange gifts. Got Spa GCs at Blue Water Day Spa from Ge. 2011’s first Monthsary with Ling, here we go!
• Reunions – it was crazy organizing, but I still had fun meeting up with Friends: Kwailuh date with April @ Chilis, Powerplant, Haberdei brunch @ Borough & Breton, Podium, Tentatues @ Liv’s Uncle Cheffy’s, Burgos Circle, and Ohana @ Fez, Serendra
• LRI Party – wore Red this year, but still Shembot sexy. Will be Green in 2011, I promise!
• UL Year Ender – slept the morning away, but got good parking nonetheless at the end of Ultra. Fun fun okray session for the raffle girl, good thing Bossing Vic Sotto saved the day!
• Mass Texts – still unlitxt, still mass texts and greets, still listing up everyone. Tedious, yes. But it’s worth the effort to send good cheer and receive nice greetings in return.
• Red Christmas – yup, still color coded. Dad changed from his yellow shirt to a red one for the fam picture taking
• DVD Series – was thinking of the Gossip Girl this year, but bought the critically-acclaimed the Office instead. Was curious on all the fuss. Still in Season 2 though. Whatta douchebag boss! Still funny nonetheless… reminds me of someone actually… hmmm….
• Vacation with Villamar Kids – whatta two days! Shopping galore at all malls and tiangges and department stores. Had fun playing santa with the kids :)

New Traditions We Started

• Noche Buena – first time to come up with the menu and cook for Noche Buena. Julius helped with the grocery and prep time too! First time family finished the whole Sicilian Chicken Salad… but left out the cheese-heavy lasagna to be devoured the next day.
• Reading list – lotsa books this holidays! Finished a self-help (5 Love Languages), 2 romance novels (Juile Garwood’s Mercy and Shadow Dance, thanks to Ling’s advanced tiangge monthsary gifts)
• Coins in the house – Mom got the idea from Tita Letlet, and hence spread out the coins in each room… for later pick-up during New Year’s.
• New Haircut – had my hair shortened a bit and layered much. Still getting used to it, but I love the light feeling. Haha! Happy New Hair! J

Old Traditions We Missed

• MMFF – We were supposed to go as part of reunion get-together with ADMU friends, but Cha was not able to go down in time from Baguio. Nothing interesting this year anyway… except maybe for Dalaw and Rosario (which I’ll prolly catch in DVD instead).
• Sta Lucia Fireworks – twas raining that time, and Dad was not feeling well so the family was not able to catch the annual fireworks this year.
• Marikina market on New Years – Mom bought in the afternoon instead… still had the 12 bilog-bilog fruits in the table.
• New Year’s Fireworks – first time to buy the fireworks myself… fail! Kaya pala mura, the fireworks ended fast… plus some of them burst *almost* in our faces and hands! Yikes! We gave some of them away and made torotot instead.

Twas the most eventful holidays, with old and new traditions alike. I loved traditions, but I loved the time to rejuvenate, reflect, be with Family and be with God again.

Happy Christmas and Merry New Year’s Everyone!