FAST is how i would characterize 2012. Time flies when you’re work is over and above your head. Inspite of that, there’s a whole lot more to be thankful for - health, family, friends, career, wealth. God has continuously been generous to me and to the people i care about. So here’s to an amazing 2012 and hopefully an even more spectacular 2013. Bring it on.
hobbies. having been quite busy with work, there wasn’t really a lot happening on the photography front. I did manage to do some shoots back in january, another in march when i was in bangkok and a couple more the last leg of the year. it was too few and far between that when i started working on the photos, i couldn’t remember my workflows. i do need to get back into shooting more as i feel the need to be creative helps me think better at work, and hopefully be more imaginative at school. off portraits, i have taken a liking to posting food photos in instagram, taken mostly using my galaxy note. give or take a few more, i think i have enough food photos for a mini-photobook. let’s see how that pans out.
career. work has been real crazy this 2012 - it has been quite challenging and could be downright depressing and overwhelming at times. while i think i have got my department organization down pat already, i still think my next-in-lines can benefit a lot from continued mentoring. i’d like to believe i’m doing well at work but it would always be a matter of perspective. the culture at syngenta is definitely different than intel and sometimes that can be a good or bad thing. in my case, its mostly the latter. i say it as i see it because its certainly a huge opportunity for improvement. and like what i always say, “take advantage of every opportunity.” i am starting to realize how tiring it is to drive back & forth from manila to visit the plant in pangasinan. driving 9 hours is wickedly exhausting and i feel at times, counter-productive. i need a driver on those days.
i can’t believe that i’m done with 4 out of the 8 modules of the program i’m attending at the University of Warwick. wasn’t it just last december when i got that e-mail that my nomination to attend this course was approved? attending the weeklong school stuff is a breeze, its the post-module assignment (PMA) that comes after that’s stressful. Grades have been quite good so far so that’s a relief.
this year, i’ve seen myself grow more impatient with people at work. i know i shouldn’t let it get to me but honestly, it feels quite good to lash out from time to time. i guess its why going to the gym feels therapeutic than anything else, at least there i get to vent out without consequences.
family. family is quite well in 2012. despite the occasional sickness, everyone seems to be healthy. Jacob is all grown-up at nine, still speaks in english (by choice) but understands common tagalog phrases better. He still struggles with his Math and Filipino subjects, thus the need for tutoring but otherwise, he remains a smart boy. i’m thankful that my family is safe always.
social | friends. Friends have been quite busy with their own lives in 2012. one of my really good friends, mj, moved to switzerland this year while joseph (who i fondly call shoti) remains in singapore. the really great thing about technology though is that i get to talk (ok, chat is the right term) to them via whatsapp anytime. ok, except when they’re sleeping but you get the idea. i’ve cut back completely on going out during workdays as i have a rekindled love with my bed, the gym and the solitude that comes with it. There’s the occasional social obligation to attend to however, but call me old-fashioned but i’m quite glad i’m over that phase where i have to party every night. been there, done that - i’ve moved on. i’ve met a lot of interesting people this year, really good ones too. i was enchanted to meet you. =)
health & fitness. this year has been about renewed commitment to health. decided to visit a much-recommended longevity doctor who helped me shed 20+ lbs, keep it off and correct my hormonal imbalances. i re-enrolled to the gym and even got a personal trainor and i’ve been working out 3x a week. to quote a friend “balik alindog 2012” program is a smashing success. call it a downside but i had to buy new office shirts and pants as all my work clothes wear loose now. i look better. i feel better. awesome.
i finally decided to jump the longevity bandwagon and see a much-raved about longevity doctor last may. it was the start of my taking charge of my health having ballooned to a whopping 200+lbs. yes, i was a pig then - but not anymore. it was pretty expensive but i have to say it was well worth it. i’m down to about 180lbs and hopefully with the working out, i’ll drop down to about 165lbs. my goal is to become leaner ergo y-u-m-m-i-e-r. like an irresistible dessert. ok, scratch that as i was just kidding.
plans. finally during the latter part of the year, i’ve opened an account at COL to start playing around with stocks. it has money already but i haven’t bought any stocks yet. kinda preoccupied with work to start buying but will start this january. small steps. its one of my long-term investment plans. hopefully in 2013, we find the perfect house in the perfect location. God hasn’t showed us yet where this is but maybe 2013 is the right time for us to move.
travel. while most of my “personal” travel plans got scrapped mostly ‘cause of work commitments, i did travel a lot for work. it was exciting being in a foreign university with classmates of different nationalities and companies. while i got stuck in birmingham and never got to visit london, i was in the united kingdom four times this year. instant GOLD status at emirates. i was in singapore multiple times and bangkok too. while the family only went to panglao in bohol and pico de loro last summer, we’re going full throttle in 2013 with trips to singapore, maribago in cebu and misibis bay. everything booked and fully paid for. money spent on family is indeed money well spent - period. i did manage to squeeze in a quick trip to cebu, an unplanned one at that just to spend time with friends. it was a nice time away from work.
songs on heavy rotation:
enchanted by taylor swift
what you are by jewel
the man who can’t be moved by the script
its time by darren criss (from glee)
begin again / all too well by taylor swift
food finds:
fried peanut butter & grape jelly sandwich from Nolita
crispy shrimp caesar salad from Outback
wagyu bistek from Chef Laudico’s Bistro Filipino
quezo de bola cheesecake from Chef Laudico’s Bistro Filipino
green tea donut from J.Co Donuts
banana milk tea from Moonleaf
chocolate chip walnut pie from Banapple
binagoongang bagnet from Pamana
splurges:
technomarine watch
galaxy note 1
acer quad-core i5 desktop
adidas running shoes
a lotta lacoste shirts
longevity doctor
samsung 32” led tv
personal trainer at the gym
saltimbanco tickets for the family
2012 indeed had character. it was complicated and beset with a lot of challenges, not one of which was insurmountable. financially it was a great year. workwise, i’ll know in march if it was a good one. i’m blessed with a complete family, not a perfect one but still a family i call mine. i am blessed with amazing friends, at work and outside, who genuinely cares for me. there’s nothing to complain about really. i’ve been blessed abundantly. God is really good … all the time. I can’t wait for 2013.
