2NE10

It's 2010. Has it really been 10 years since my first year of college?! Time truly flies by.

I can't really say 2009 was bad for me. Sure, I didn't work full-time for most of the year and there were times that I was paralyzed by hopelessness, but I don't think I was extremely saddened by all of it. In fact, I was really grateful about many things that have happened this year:

• God helped me leave my horrible full-time job


• Finished my Graphic Design Certificate and then some...for free


• Fulfilled my childhood dream of going to Japan...and Korea


• Witnessed the power of networking and people's willingness to help me out


• Saw how Elections/ballots processing work in this country


• Being able to pay for my WV child sponsorship dues despite my unemployment


• Reconnecting with people from the past


• Knowing that accumulation of material things isn't what life is about

Perhaps I'm getting old and have begun to appreciate life that I found satisfaction in all of that. And as if I passed my life's lessons in 2009, God granted me gifts before the year closed: two part-time positions that I am truly happy about getting. Imagine that.

I'm looking forward to 2010 and even wrote down resolutions on paper last night which I've never done before. This year brings a new milestone and I want to make some changes in my life to ensure that this coming decade is indeed new and not simply a repeat of what has been (Naks, so serious!).

Oplan Bawas

After a long hiatus of not watching Oprah, I'm back to watching the show (as long as it's not a "super serious" episode) this season. Yesterday, they had a feature on Denmark and how it has the happiest people on Earth. It totally made me want to live there to live out my ideal world. ;P

One of the contributing factors is that they don't own a lot of stuff. Inspired, I'm now wanting to get rid of most of my stuff. Well, I've been working towards that in the last year by selling the remnants of my Sanrio collection and Starbucks mugs on eBay. I also stopped buying Coach purses two months ago and haven't bought any new clothes in the last month. I'm not a gastadora by nature, but things do accumulate even when you buy infrequently. Nanghihinayang din ako kapag dinadala ko yung mga lumang gamit ko sa Goodwill at the end of every year. Pero mas naaasar ako kapag wala na akong mapaglagyan sa closet ko dahil puno na. I hate clutter!

So Oplan Bawas is in effect. Bawas gamit. Bawas kalat. Bawas gastos. Bawas sakit ng ulo. Let's see how this ummm, materializes. HeHe!

Time To Get Out

I want to move out of Seattle, preferably to San Francisco or LA. That's my thought for the day. Why California? One: The probability of meeting the Pinoy of my dreams is rather high. Two: Sunny skies are better than our grey ones here. Three: Jollibee, Goldilocks, Red Ribbon, oh my. Ayokong isipin ang trapik, pollution, at expensive houses. When you're young, you're not supposed to be thinking about those things.

Ideally, being international would be my top option. With the unemployment rate projected to hit 10% by the end of the year and the recession having taken two years to end, I'm guessing that things won't be back to normal for another two years. So, I'm thinking that maybe it's time to go back to a carefree life and do something far, far away for the heck of it while the job market heals itself. I won't lie and say that I haven't been thinking about Seoul, but I really can't picture myself having the patience to teach bad ass mother effin kids...unless they like BigBang, then maybe, just maybe, we can get along. HaHa!

Basta, I want to be out of my comfort zone again. I want all that thrill and excitement again. Stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result; if I've been here in Seattle for nineteen years and am still single, I think that's a heck of a long time of waiting. If Mr. Right is that slow, I wouldn't want him anyway when he finally comes. ;P Although I've been enjoying watching Family Outing episodes and Korean movies lately, I'd hate to think that ganito na lang ang buhay ko for the rest of my life. And it might stay that way if I continue to live here in Seattle. It's definitely time to take some action...ala 2005. Fighting!

Flash Back Attack

I logged on to my AIM (that's AOL Instant Messenger, kids!) account today after four long years. It has been so long that I couldn't even remember my username!

A few minutes passed and both Alan and Jo Anne IMed me. Talk about blast from the past from two of my (old school) website visitors!

1. The last time I talked to Alan was when I was waiting at Robinson's Galleria for my *ahem first date with someone in 2005. Somehow, Alan still remembers this very fact up to now. I guess my "journey" to finding the love of my life is quite memorable for many. Kahiya! HaHa!

2. Jo Anne had e-mailed me a few times in 2005, praising me for going back to the Philippines despite the comfy life in the U.S. Fast forward to 2009, she's now the one in the Philippines working for a non-profit. Role model, yes I am! HaHa!

This is all so freaky because just last night, I was reading my old posts from 2005-2007 and was reminiscing like crazy. Chatting with Alan and Jo Anne today just made those memories more vivid.

Not sure what God is trying to tell me right about now, but I'll keep praying for some clear answers to what's the next best thing for me. :)

Amen

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power." -Alan Cohen

Facts of Life

I have exciting news, but I'll save them when things are finalized by the end of this week. :)

My latest epiphany (while in bed the last five days because of the flu) is that life is about making your dreams come true, fulfilling those deepest desires of your heart. When our life becomes miserable, it's most likely because we're straying away from those dreams.

However, whenever we're in a miserable state, we often just want to get out and look for the fastest way. So soon enough, we're in the same miserable state, but just in a different environment.

I'm so tired of this cycle. I hope that I can mix in some honest-to-goodness soul searching in the latter half of the next two months. When I come back after my trips, I hope to be able to be on the right path again, more determined and much happier.

Until then, job-hunting and house-buying are on hold. Pogi-wanting? On-going, of course.

You're Welcome, 2009

I'm glad it's 2009. If past years were any indication, my life seems to be "better" during odd years:

2001 - I transferred to UW from a private university seamlessly
2003 - I graduated with a Bachelor's degree
2005 - I went to the Philippines and finally followed my heart
2007 - I traveled around SE Asia on my own

For 2009, I simply have one goal and that's to take care of myself mentally, physically, and spiritually - something that I put off this past year. Syempre kasama na diyan ang lovelife; I vow to team up with God on that one this year. Sorry na lang duon sa lalake na magiging biktima namin. HaHa! Pero seriously, more effort on this subject this year. Promise! :)

Happy new year to everyone and let the good times roll.