my goals for 2012

Today, I met my best friend from college and until now, a very close friend, Lani. The last time we saw each other was December 29 - 30 of 2011. Since 2009, we only saw each other once a year, but as I was with her today, I feel like nothing has changed.

Because we were only two, we could only take picture of each other. :3

Lani, enjoying her Caramel Smoogee and the Seafood Pizza.

That cap is Lani's gift. I really like it. 

And of course, she took the picture. <3

We think and talk about the same things - social work, social problems, love and all other small things beneath the sky to be pondered of. She has gone beyond a friend, or a best friend, she is a sister, a family member. "A family member doesn't forget another one", as I quote from my Japanese friend Shohei.

"Straight and curly" Photo by Lani.

She became more beautiful and happy, especially that he has found his God's will. I hope to meet mine too in the near future. :3

"We'll all come home when the years collide." - Stereo Goes Stellar

Photo by Kuya Guard using Lani's camera.

And she told me that she has "New Year Goals" rather than "New Year's Resolution". I appreciate this kind of thinking because if you talk about resolutions, it feels like dwelling on problems while goals seems positive, and something to be reached while being contented with where you are now.

So... as I've been pondering last week. I would have to limit my goals into only 5, so that it would be easy to achieve. Lol. And I wouldn't get frustrated much since more goals - more frustration. 

My New Year Goals are as follows:

General Goal: Healthy, Balanced, Happy 2012.

1. EAT, SLEEP, DRINK HEALTHY

My family and close friends really worry about my disorder in eating. Lol.

So, that's the primary thing to be fixed.

Photo by Jesse Altez

For it is basic. Health is wealth. I should have learned that earlier. :3

2. TRAVEL MORE

Travel with Jay to Alabat Island.

By the way, he is also a good photographer.

Photo by my BFF, Eljay Lactuan.

This is easy if I stay active as ACCESS-VOA member because I may be compelled to go to Alabat Island, Smoky Mountain and Pampanga for study tour. However, I also want to go to other places like Anawangin, Sagada, Baguio and Palawan. To go out of the country finally, maybe Thailand or Japan? Because of Kuya Onin's stories, I also wanna be a budget-traveller because life is a never ending study tour. However, all travels should have a purpose (to meet friends, to rewind, to experience new things - Haaaa. It's easy to find a purpose). :3

From one of my travels in 2009. At Alabat Island.

Photo by Shohei Kato.

I read from a blog that this is the right time, (while I'm still young and has fewer responsibility at work) to travel and see the world - so I will.

3. SAVE MONEY

I got a leap with my salary this year and yet, I haven't saved. Lol. It all went down the drain of hang-outs, clothes, shoes, books. I have so many books already in the To-Read List. I have to finish all that first before I buy another new one! Per meal should only be P50.00 but IMPOSSIBLE. =p At least, save P1,000 per month. And the end goal is to save enough money for a DSLR. Yummy. :3

This is me with Kuya Onin's camera. :3

Photo by Bro. Jun of CSsR, a person I look up to in photography.

4. WRITE MORE. STUDY MORE. PLAY MORE

Writing is therapeutic so I want to write more and keep up my blog. It has always been a resolution every year but I'll try to make it attainable by setting my goal to have at least 15 blog posts per month. :) and get back to guitar-playing.

My notebook, 3 years ago. The subject was Social Work 143.

Community Organizing.

After that, study Japanese 30 minutes per day. And as December comes sooner, try to take JLPT N4. I'm still scared to take the test, and I don't know how it costs, but I hope by this year, I have the courage to do so. Probably, it might become more difficult to study Japanese when I start as post-graduate student of Psych and still work as full-time in DSWD. Let's just weigh things at the middle of the year.

5. JUST LIVE. 

I shouldn't worry much about mistakes, frustrations so that I won't fall into depression. I shouldn't also fall into my sickness of being a workaholic because it has seriously damaged my lungs last year. Take one day at a time. Find happiness in each day, and find a way to laugh in each hour. When things go wrong, don't worry, trouble shoot. When things go the right way, enjoy it and seize the moment.

Friendship.

Photo by Yours Truly.

Life is an ice cream, eat it before it melts. I'm excited for 2012!

  

live your dreams, don't oversleep.

I had a rough day today at the office. All because of my mistake of accidentally preparing 2 cheques for my clients. I only learned the consequence of what I did when the accountant told me that to cancel the cheques would pertain going through the long line of bureaucracy of signatures again just the way it had undergone at the beginning. I'm sorry for it and because of my frustration with myself, I had many other persons whom I dealth with negatively. Like, our dear Administrative Assistant who just pulled the paper off my hands, and I strictly told him "What are you doing? Can't you see I'm in a hurry?". But anyway, after a few minutes, I didn't want my anger to be retained in my heart for it was painful too. So, I tried to make it subside and luckily, on my way to the bank with my clients, one child tapped me and smilingly greeted me "Ate!". That made my day.

Anyway, that isn't the true purpose of today's post.

With Kuya Onin and Reika. ^^

Photo by Kuya Onin

In the evening, I went out with Kuya Onin and Reika to the Christmas Party of the Bloomfields at 70's Bistro, Anonas, Quezon City. After a long last day of the year at work, I thought I wanted to enjoy this evening as a reward. And what I got, was more than that.

With schoolmates from UP, united by Bloomfields. :3

Photo by Kuya Onin

While the Bloomfields were playing, I could see their souls in the songs and the music that their instruments produce. It was harmony, it was peace amidst noise and it was a moment where I got refreshed with my goals for the next year. As I watched Rocky played the drums and sing, Louie in the base guitars, Lakan in the lead guitars and Dino in the rhythm guitars, I saw four people enjoying life, living the moment, chasing after their dreams after all the years they had gone through. I also saw four people enjoying each other's company and sticking with it, genuine friendship, I guess. An hour of them playing on stage rekindled the happiness and admiration I had for them and their band.

The Bloomfields, on stage performing Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

Photo courtesy of Kuya Onin.

Because of these four people, I wanted to also become a person who is actively chasing after her dream, finding one's passion and enjoying life. This week, I've been pondering with what I should change with myself for the next year (in my crowded rooms for improvement) as well as re-planning my life in order to have a healthy, balanced and happy 2012. Last year, I have been sleeping a lot, especially on the months were I was recovering from my illness. And so, this year until the next years I want to "live my dreams and don't oversleep."

By the middle of the year 2012, I'd be a post-graduate student of Psychology hopefully and by the end of the year 2012, I hope to have my own DSLR to finally hone my interest in photography and (stop getting pictures from Kuya Onin.) Lol. Anyway, I'll try to think more about 2012 New Year's Resolution tomorrow.

But, here's some pictures of me with the Bloomfields. Yey! やった!
All pictures were taken by my dear friend, Kuya Onin.

With Lakan, the lead guitarist.

With Louie, bass guitars and voice.

You should really see him dance while paying the bass on stage. :3

With schoolmate Dino (rhythm guitars and voice).

And... I was the one who took this picture of him, with Kuya Onin's camera. :D

Lastly, with Rocky (drums and voice).

I felt a little sad not seeing his drum solo last night,

but, it was a good night.

Thank you Bloomfields! Cheers to 2012! :)

patience in a fast-phased world and celebrating Christmas differently.

Just today, I realized that I had grown to be a very impatient person. In that, you can never talk to me for more than 5 minutes without me reaching for the mobile phone sending text message to another person or receiving a phone call or calling another person. It was this afternoon that I and two other co-workers in DSWD were waiting at SM Foundation for the money that children saved through caroling. We waited for more than half an hour, until I said "Why is it taking so long.?" and I added "I am so impatient, I just thought."

A Cup of Comfort / Patience

Where do we need patience for? It keeps us calm amid pressure. It keeps us sane. It makes us value time more. It makes us enjoy the moment as it happens and forget worrying about the future. It makes us contented of what is in the present, to work with it and enjoy it. This might be a different meaning of patience but this is how I see it.

Children are the most impatient of peoples, but they force us to keep our patience.

[This picture was taken by Ms. Jenny Darish during the Pasko ng Batang Pinoy 2011]

This month's character of the month at our Field Office is "generosity", a perfect character learning for the Christmas season. I learned that generosity does not only mean giving material things but TIME as well. From that Monday morning that I heard that, I tried to be give more time when talking with anybody and putting all the lists that I have to do, aside. In the length of a month of practicing, I felt more happy and I felt more human.

With a hectic itinerary, it was difficult not to do things immediately, urgently and quickly. But then, I got lost with all the things to do. Sometimes, we need to take a break and stop. On that moment that we stop, we realize the background of what we are doing and for what purpose it serves.That is why I am grateful of the holidays as it requires people to take a break, to remember family and friends and to enjoy their selves. Life is more than just work, I recently realized. Next year, I will JUST LIVE. Life is an ice cream, eat it before it melts. 

Here are some of the photographs capturing memories of the my Christmas 2011, I'd like to keep. Thanks to Kuya Onin, for all the pictures!

Merry Christmas VOA!

Japanese Dinner on Christmas Day with VOA

It was first time for me to spend Christmas in Metro Manila.

I never thought there was so many sights to see in the city!

Especially, this Christmas Lighting "Make It Happen Makati"

After a jokingly quarrel with Kuya Allan :)

Playing around Christmas statues with VOA. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sziH7cIKP8

And yeah, here's my Christmas gift for everybody. ^^