Owl City - Vanilla Twilight

waking up in the morning and knowing God has given you another day to live, love and share yourself to the world. no sense wasting a perfectly good opportunity to make a difference.

2012 : Year in Review

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.

life | day 228 - pressure cooker

Work is really stressful lately and its really not that the problems and the projects are insurmountable but rather they’re just piling up pretty fast.  I thought it was high time I went old school and listed down all the stuff I had to work on in paper – seeing it in paper makes it less daunting because there’s something to cross out with the passing of the hours.  I should whip myself for letting procastination get the better of me but its too late for that now.  The whipping needs to come later.  All things considered, despite my seemingly well-put organizational skills, I do succumb to disarray from time to time.  Chaos could be fun when it happens but with all things, there’s really a price to pay.

The one good news in the days past is that I got another invitation to be a speaker at a supply chain conference in KL this October.  I think though it is quite premature to be sharing an ongoing project so while I relish the opportunity to be a speaker alongside supply chain professionals from prestigious companies, it would be a disservice to share something that is half-cooked.

 

I asked God for something this morning.  I don’t think I’m asking Him much.  Just some peace of mind.

 

Back to blogging.  I miss this, really.  To be able to write freely and express my thoughts feels liberating.

life | day 191 in 2010

the days really do seem to just breeze pass through this year.  half of the year is gone and the days have brought with it the inevitable change.  weather-wise, i'm sort of glad the drought is over but is anxious about the rainy season.  no one wants a repeat of ondoy or pepeng for that matter.  i've seen and been to the aftermath and it was heatbreaking.  hopefully, the rest of the year brings a much needed stability in everyone's lives.

work.  what can i say?  it really has been overwhelming.  you fix one problem, out pops the next one.  there's neverending things to do so i still try to take things in stride.  it is at times like these where (jowell's) "steady lang." becomes a lifeline.  it can get exhausting and stressful pretty fast and its not something you can get accustomed to.  social networking sites become more liability than a welcome distraction.  the latter of which something i really need more of these days.  proof that work is becoming stressful is that i'm back on caffeine.  i'm making starbuck's, figaro and coffee bean richer on a daily basis.

i can't wait to get back to some of the things i love most - like traveling.  i haven't done much of that this year - a couple of business trips to singapore and a lovely, relaxing trip to palawan.  to do the traveling thing however, i need to do two things - renew my expiring passport and my US visa.  sydney is going to have to wait, at least until january maybe.  i'm getting bad at planning stuff and its bumming me out.

next month's is my nephew's seventh birthday already.  he's now a living measure of how the years go by.  he's grown-up now and speaks more comfortably in english than in tagalog.  its a good thing he understands at least a bit of the local or else he is for sure going to flunk his pilipino subjects.  the one thing that hasn't changed with him is that he is still an endearingly sweet boy who gives endless hugs and kisses.

life still is a blessing.  still a lot to be thankful for.  its not perfect, but at least its mine.  and i'm living and breathing in it.

thirty six

sometimes i still can't believe i've been on this planet for more than thirty years, thirty six today.  its been one wild ride so far - rough and smooth roads filled with ups and downs.  in hindsight, those are the things that made life richer, more exciting and other times sweeter.  despite the passing of the years, i am quite thankful to be alive.

life is good.  i have been blessed beyond belief that saying thank you everyday seems never enough.  i have people i can call "friends" who i love dearly like family and who i know i can call on anytime and who will tell me straight up the things i wouldn't want to hear.  real friends are hard to come by but i surprisingly have plenty.

i have a career.  with people who are a joy to work with.  a job that pays the bills.  a job that affords me a comfortable life.  God has been gracious.

i have a family, though far from perfect, i can call my own.  i have a nephew, who greeted me "happy father's day", who showers me with kisses and hugs for no reason at all.  who answers "that you love me" whenever i ask him "i'm going to tell you something.  do you know what it is?"  priceless moments that make all the hard work meaningful.

thirty six years.  that's enough reason to celebrate.

ten

This song is dedicated to all of the people I know who are sharing their lives with a special someone.

From the upcoming album “Sweet & Wild” of Jewel who is one of my most favorite artist of all time.

The lyrics to this song is just amazingly simple but it says so much.  Here’s to OUR happiness.

 

Ten – Jewel

 

whoever said love is easy

must have never been in love

sometimes its a landmine

one wrong step and it blows up

a word, a look lights a hidden fuse

 

its hard to see just what you have when you're seeing red

and easy to do something that you know we'll both regret

better stop, think, count to ten before i leave

 

refrain:

one,

i still want to hate you

two, three

i still wanna leave

four

i'm searching for that door

five

then i look in your eyes

six

take a deep breath

seven

take a step back

eight, nine

i don't know why we even started this fight.

by the time i get to ten

i'm right back in your arms again

words thrown so calously like weapons when we fight

but when they cut too deep i wanna leave it all behind

i'd have to count to ten before i cross that line

refrain

 

you can lose what you're not thankful for

i don't want that to happen to you and me

better count my blessings

 

one,

you still move me

two, three

send chills right through me

four

you keep me wanting more

five

when i look in your eyes

six

you're my best friend

seven

that will never end

eight, nine

i don't know why but thank God it happens everytime

by the time i get to ten, by the time i get to ten

i can see how blessed i've been

 

i'd choose you all over again.

life | certainties

i've come to accept that death is the only certainty but knowing that doesn't make it any less difficult to accept.  last week was met with the passing of the in-law of one of my colleagues.  it was a short battle with the big C for him - and i don't know if that was good or bad. good because it meant he didn't have to suffer for long; bad because it meant he couldn't stay and be with his love ones longer.

last friday, i finally managed to spend time with a good friend.  she's been beset with her own family health problems - her mom in particular.  i thought when she shared the good news last time about the biopsy results being negative that her problems would soon be over.  i guess i was sadly mistaken.  i had tears listening to her.  i didn't mind being in a public place.  we tried to laugh to fend off the sadness.  i admire her.  this made her grow up in ways no other could.  its the same change i went through - being saddled with new responsibilities can make or break you.  in our case, we've grown up to accept ours and it feels like it made us better people in the process.  tm's mom is in the hospital and the prognosis isn't so good.  i know that in times like these, prayers do help.

i fear death.  not for myself because i think i've come to terms that we can go at anytime.  its my fear of losing any of the people i love that i can't deal with.  i pray everyday for their safety and for keeping us healthy among others.  i hope that that is good enough.