Thank you 2011

"Grateful for 2011, excited for 2012".

There went my facebook status update last New Year's day.  The past year could have been really tough, in fact a turning point in my life, yet I am greatly thankful for every experience, lesson and friends I gained along the way.  Let me share with you the year that was that greatly affected who I am today.

The first quarter saw a liberating light as I decided to take on drastic changes relationship-wise, irrespective of the painful consequences.  That experience is pivotal in my life as it opened my eyes and hearts to a whole new world of opportunities in career, business, relationships and self development.

Before the first quarter ended, I was offered a job less stressful and more challenging than what I previously had.  It was actually an answered prayer and was a surprise.  That job offer was one of the least expected, since I had no plans of moving to a new post last year. But truly, God knows what is best and I am more than grateful for the career shift.

pictorial after my violin recital

I also had my second violin recital the last week of February.  It felt good because I know I sounded far better than the first time I had my recital, thanks to my ever patient teacher and well-wishers who were present during the event.

By mid-year, I got to participate for a showchoir competition during the Singles for Christ Metro Manila Conference.  And as a bonus, our team won the grand prize.  It really felt good to know that through the endeavor, I helped some people feel good and confident about themselves and at the same time, share the talent the Lord has given me for His greater glory.

baby Jerone at 2 months

Also coincident with the Gloree showchoir preparations, I had my first public violin performance in GMA--a dream come true.  My classmate requested me to play along with her the Mga Kwentong Pambata ni Jose Rizal theme during the General Assembly.  After the event, I felt so elated to receive a lot of positive acclaim from friends and managers in the office.

September1, a new baby in the family was born.  Jerone Andrew, my sisters second son, is the cuddly bundle of joy who now takes most of my weekends.

By September, I got accepted for graduate school but eventually did not enroll due to schedule conflicts. Hopefully, this 2012, I can have my workshift adjusted to accommodate plans to pursue my MBA.

October, my business partners and I launched Sublime, a clothing line for the young, chic and budget-conscious fashionista.  My friends from Singles for Christ and I had put up our company GALZ and started joining bazaars to kick off our clothing line.

To end the our bazaar season, we took a quick break and headed far north in Ilocos.  Here I experienced more of God's love through the breathtaking beauty that was presented in front of me.

at the Paoay church in Ilocos

in Vigan, Ilocos Sur

I got to celebrate the Christmas season with my family, and hosted our first reunion in years.  I know that wherever Mama is now, she is very happy with the way things turned out in our clan after her death.

As of my lovelife, I know 2012 will be a very good year to work on that.  With fervent prayers, I know will find the one I can share my passion with.  For now, I will just continue to enjoy life and relish every moment in love and service of the Lord.

My Christmas wishlist 2011

With only a few days before Christmas and a hectic schedule, I can't even draft my wishlist in just one go.  Everything seems to fly so fast that I haven't even digested all the events of this year yet.

What do I really want for 2012?  Some said it will be the end of the world by then.  If that will be so, I'll have to be more concrete, and maybe a little bit more ambitious and at the same time hopeful that this list will be achieved next year.

the 13M 68 Roces townhouse

Ambitious mode:

- a car for my business

- a QC townhouse, a few minutes from the office

- Holy Land tour

- more beach trips

- a shopping escapade with unlimited budget

Reality check:

- enrollment in advanced violin class

- a superior quality violin

- schedule adjustment to accommodate marketing classes on weekdays

- gym membership

- a new pair of trainers and workout outfit
- trip to Korea with my sister

Proenza Schouler PS1 medium, the "it" satchel

I'm a material girl

- 15" Cambridge satchel in red

- Proenza Schouler PS1 medium leather in blue or orange

- Sisterhood of the Traveling pants series books

- Forever21 Hello Kitty collection

- Ipad2 wifi + 3g

Angry birds cupcake from Gooeyfudge

Simple joys:

- Chocolate oatmeal cookies

- Christmas parties with Sagip kids

- Angry birds cupcakes

- cutesy stationeries

- a bookshelf

But still, there really is nothing more I want this Christmas than my family to be complete and celebrating it together over a sumptuous noche buena lovingly prepared.  I also look forward to spending the first Christmas with the new boy in my life. Weee! excited to hug my nephew and see him clad in a Christmas-y outfit. La vita e bella! :)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...dadada...

It really is sooo here.  And I mean, Christmas!

In the office, we started playing Christmas songs and in one department, I already saw a tree up.  Wow! 

So excited for this year's Yule, contrary to how I thought before (never mind my post last year).  

As early as Sept1, God has already given me a new cuddly, cute baby nephew Andrew as a gift.

I also have a few out-of-town trips and activities lined up (since I got a term delay in school--a blessing in disguise, actually).  I plan to focus more on GK Sagip activities.  And I am excited to return to the music school this second semester so I can play Christmas tunes with my Ivy (violin) again.

Bits of Beads Holiday 2010 collection.  Watch out for the 2011 collection. :)

Aside from those, I am excited to launch my new line of clothing (still thinking of a name) and Bits of Beads holiday collection this last quarter of the year.  I think it's best to launch products every Christmas season because people tend to be more impulsive with all the bonuses and cash gifts (hence, tag-yaman season).

Early this week, I already made my gift list (I really am so excited). I want to plan ahead this year (1) to avoid the Christmas rush, (2) so I can choose better gifts, and (3) to catch the pre-Holiday sale.

Perhaps this planning ahead thing is just one manifestation of my maturity (read: being 30).  I am just glad that Christmas knows no age, and just smelling the Holidays makes me nostalgic and transports me back to my childhood. :P

Christmas is in the air -- random musings again

Call me the Grinch but really I loathe the Christmas rush. I get so stressed out walking around the mall trying to find the perfect gifts that are within my measly budget. Most of my friends know I’m a certified mall rat but in seasons like Christmas, the mall is the last place on earth I want to be. As early as November, I have my gift list but I always end up cramming. Last year, I promised myself I will not go on a last minute Christmas shopping. And obviously, I broke that promise this year. *sigh*

On a brighter side, I got my loved-ones really cute yet inexpensive gifts. I’m so proud of myself that I got everything on my list in only three days (or three trips to the mall/bazaar). I already started distributing gifts to my office friends, family, relatives and some godchildren.  But I have yet to get a dear friend a gift. Hmm… haven’t talked to him for a long time. Maybe the best gift I can give him, aside from the tangibles, is my sincere forgiveness and acceptance.

Since the start of December, I’ve been playing Christmas songs in the office to uplift our mood. In my playlist are the classics from the Carpenters and Mariah Carey. I recently downloaded Backstreet Boys’ Christmas Time and Wham’s Last Christmas, my cubemate Razie’s favourites. And just last week, I loaded my iPod with Trans Siberian Orchestra Christmas albums The Christmas Attic, Beethoven’s Last Night and Christmas Eve and Other Stories. These are not your usual mainstream Christmas music, as the names imply. Among the songs, I love the Christmas Canon Rock based on Pachelbel’s Canon played back-to-back with rock version of O Holy Night. Someday, I’d love to be a part of a great orchestra playing rocking music like Trans Siberian’s.

In violin class, we started playing Christmas tunes since the opening of the semester. This year, we played Jolly Old Nicholas and Good King Wenceslas. And because we’re a cluster of three students, each of us got to play melody (violin A in A string), violin B (in D string) and violin C (in G string). Last year, we played Joy to the World and O Come All Ye Faithful in violin solo. In our Christmas party in Singles for Christ, I performed a rough violin solo of Silent Night. I’m so glad that my December is so filled with quality time with my darling Ivy.

Good thing about Christmas is reconnecting with friends. Recently, my long-time BFF Direk Beautiful PM’d me in Facebook his new mobile number. I’m so thrilled to finally be in touch with him. Last week, I had lunch with my old buddy Anabee at Buddy’s. She just came from a long vacation and so we did a lot of catching up with each other’s stories. Her sister just came from Holland and she gave me a Dutch couple ceramic keychain that is so cute I attached it to the clutch bag I always bring to lunch.
Wow, my December is really filled! I feel so blessed that even with my busy schedule, I still have time to pause and connect with the Lord, the real reason for this season. Merry Christmas everyone!

happiest thought of 2010

Yesterday, a friend asked me what my happiest memory of 2010 is. And for me, it is a very hard question to answer.

This year, my Mama died and lost all my savings from her treatment. Because of that, I also incurred a lot of payables. I wasn’t able to join my friends in our annual summer outing. I wasn’t able to attend the Davao conference I’ve been planning to go to.

At work, I wasn’t considered for promotion. Instead, there spread some nasty rumors about me and a feud against a co-worker.

If I will focus on the heartbreaking memories and not think of the good I gained from those experiences, I can never move on. I will only encourage negative thoughts to fill me and I don’t want to welcome 2011 like that. And despite everything that happened this year, I still want to enumerate the blessings I received so I can come up with my happiest 2010 memory.

With the death of my mother, the bond between me and my sister strengthened. Now it is like, me and her against the world. It is said that through hardships you will know who your true friends are and with the experience, I realized that my real best friend in life is my sister. We stood by each other through thick and thin, and I can say that nothing can ever destabilize our sisterhood, our friendship.

I also learned a lot, from being independent and strong-willed to being compassionate to the people in need. I learned my lessons the hard way, nevertheless thankful that I gained so. I realized I should live each day as if it’s my last and never hesitate to show loved-ones that you care for them or it might be too late. Cliché but these are the most important things everyone should’ve realized long before.

Though I wasn’t doing really good at work this year, I recognized my priorities. With my free time, I can attend Singles for Christ activities for spiritual nourishment and still have time for my business. Last July, I got to attend the Metro Manila Conference in Silang, Cavite and felt so refreshed with the insights I got. Last August, I headed the Unli-Love Fully Loaded anniversary event of SFC-Claret. I was more elated to know that some of our Christian Life Program participants were actually inspired to join us after watching the concert.

I also continued my violin lessons and I am just so glad to have the time I need for practice. Last February, I had my recital and my super loyal fan Joel came to UP Diliman all the way from Las Piñas just to see it.

Work isn’t so much stressful and demanding these days, one the perks of staying in B2 position. Of course I still would want to be promoted given the chance, I miss the hectic workload I used to have. Anyway, this year I handled Q11’s Buhay Q Kumpleto station ID, Christmas campaign and a handful of corporate AVPs in a breeze. Not even my bosses noticed we’re doing a launch.

I still can’t point to a single memory but I can say that my 2010 has strengthened my grip to the Lord. Each experience has pushed closer to God. And with the trials I faced, I became more dependent on His providence, thus counting each time I wake up a blessing in itself. Every morning is a step closer to reaching my goals and a day away from my depressing past.

Random muni-muni from Posterous

By accident, I stumbled upon a friend's online journal. And I'm so touched not only with the entry, but the fact that I insipired him to write that entry. Thank you so much. :)

I think I need to reorganize "muni-muni" playlist in my iPod. After getting corrupted, I had to restart and reload all the songs in my 2 year old iPod. What does my muni-muni playlist include? Suzuki Violin tracks volumes 1-4 for semestral breaks and Hennie Bekker and the Vitamin String Quartet for regular days. I limit myself on listening to Suzuki on sem breaks because instead of relaxing me, I am reminded of my lessons and assignments. My muni-muni playlist is on when I have to write a lengthy narrative of our monthly and yearly accomplishments, answer IRs or when I'm simply stressed out.

Last halloween I bought a pack of lollipops for trick-or-treat. But unfortunately, no kid went trick-or-treating in our department (ours being operational 24/7, is restricted). So I still have them in my jar waiting for the kids-at-heart to get them. (calling altas!!!)

Last week, my hh head sent me chocolates from Aussie. I so loooooove it. ♥♥♥

I'm now listening to Vivaldi. Then Bach. I'd love to name my son Johann Sebastian, after the music genius Bach. Hmm... Will my husband-to-be agree? Maybe he'd prefer an Albert (after Einstein) or a Sigmund (after Freud) instead. Or my son could be his Junior. Or we could name him after a saint or a prophet.

Or I can name my child after his/her birth month. Last night my friend said she was named Frances because of the Peñafrancia feast of the Bicolnons in September. My sister named her son June because he was born in June. But my friend May was born in September (duh!).

Christmas is only a few days away. I wonder if there are there freshly-composed Christmas carols available :)

Yipee! In 30 mins I'll be out of here. Gotta fix my things so I can go the mall straight from work. (read: "me" time).