Day 7

Day 7: Your dream wedding

I’m a few days behind already in this 30-day challenge. The past few days practically swallowed me whole–both deliberately and accidentally. Another reason why I had to pause for a while in my updates is because this Day 7 challenge entails a lot of thinking. Sure I have my dream wedding, but the details are just figments of my imagination. I can barely describe them vividly. But I tried to. And these are what I came up with.

I want to get married when I’m 25 or maybe, 26. I’m 23 years old now. I have roughly 2-3 years to hunt look for a groom and save for my dream wedding. Honestly, I actually want to settle down already. I want to know how it feels like to be united with someone you really love and care about for the rest of your life. I don’t want to think I’m rushing things, but I always feel like time’s passing me by just like that. Everything’s happening so fast, I’m having a real hard time keeping up. But since I don’t have my “dream” husband yet, I guess I’ll just have to settle with these photos first to at least give whoever is reading this an idea of what my dream wedding looks like.

I like the wedding to be by the beach. I like its serenity. The sound of the crashing waves is music to my ears. It will just be us and Poseidon on that day.

I want the wedding motif to be white and Grecian. It’s classic, regal, and simple. I find the color really pure and sophisticated. It will rain georgettes and silk chiffons on my wedding day. Gowns will have drapes, ruchings, and bias cuts. As for mine, I want it to be just simple. I don’t have a design in mind yet, but it’ll just be simple. And sophisticated.

These are just a few of the gazillion things, which I need to prepare for to accomplish my dream wedding. I have no idea how much this entire thing will cost or if it will ever come true. This is just something I wish for anyways. At the end of the day, what will matter is the person I’ll spend the rest of my married life with. The dream wedding is just an icing on the cake. I care about my dream man more.

Day 6: A photo of an animal you’d like to keep as a pet

Can you see how cute this fluffy little creature is? I’ve been dying to have a real penguin for a pet. I only have the toy penguin my bestfriend gave me for Valentines Day two years ago. Although it’s cute and soft too, I still dream of getting the real one. Seeing them waddle and flap their wings is just an adorable sight to see. I’ve seen real penguins when I was on a trip and it was one of the most amazing things ever! I just wanted to hug them!

Day 5

Day 5: A photo of yourself two years ago

This photo was taken in May, 2008 at my Aunt’s humble abode in Mt. Eden, Auckland, New Zealand. God knows what I have gone through just to make this trip happen. It was Papa’s graduation gift to me. It was supposedly a month-long visit, but it got cut short because of some problems, which I unfortunately encountered a few weeks before the said trip.

If I can remember it correctly, this was taken on our last day at NZ. We had to go to our Uncle’s house at Te Atatu for a goodbye dinner.

Anyways, I look a lot thinner here. And younger. And I have long hair. I love looking at old photos. They make me realize how much I (and the people around me) have evolved over the years. Two years seems so short, but hey, anything can happen within that span of time.

Seeing myself grow and mature both physically and mentally is an achievement in itself. Everyday is a learning experience and we are only given two options whenever we wake up–to courageously take risks and learn from their consequences or to lock ourselves up in our own little world and waste every single second to learn and grow.

On another note, I promise myself to go back to New Zealand next year. 2011 should be an amazing travel year. I promise myself that. And when that time comes, it will not just be two or three weeks. Who knows, it could be forever?

Day 4

Day 4: Your favorite photograph of your bestfriend

Jam has been my bestfriend since we were in college. That makes it six years now. When we first met during the Ateneo ORSEM (orientation seminar), I already had a feeling that she will be one of the closest friends that will make my college life memorable. True enough, one thing led to another, we ended up stuck with each other for four years.

I can’t really say we’re so much alike coz we’re definitely not. We’re extreme opposites–she being the very sweet and nice one you’d just want to strangle her for not doing anything when someone hurls personal attacks on her, and me being the “not-so-good” one you’d never want to get on my bad side coz trust me, I’ll be your worst nightmare. You will definitely have the best of both worlds having both of us around.

Even if Jamie now lives in the US and she has made new friends, there’s never a time that I felt neglected. Well, I can be maarte and ma-drama at times, but that’s just the hormones talking. Truth is, Jam never fails to be the best bestfriend in the world. I don’t think there’s anyone else (aside from my family, of course), who knows me and who can stand my personality more than Jam.

This photo of her was taken during her visit to the Philippines last August. We went to Laiya in Batangas just coz we’ve been dying to go to the beach. I like this photo very much because aside from being very pretty, she looks genuinely happy here. She looks like a little kid feeling so giddy about being in the water again. It was very candid, yet it captured that side of her, which always wants to be young, carefree, and innocent. I am not surprised that every guy, who gets close to her falls for her in a heartbeat. Jam is such a sweetheart.

I am surely looking forward to spending more good [and bad] times with her. I hope that I will finally be able to visit her next year coz I really can’t wait to see her again. Or of course, it can always be the other way around.

Trivia: She loves penguins, but she’s scared of birds. How cute is that?

Day 3

Day 3: Your idea of the perfect first date

I’ve always been a sucker for romantic dates. I can be a tough cookie, but trust me, there’s always that tiny tiny part in me that screams “I am mushy and I have my soft side too, for Pete’s sake!” Although I’ve been in a couple of [failed] relationships already, I still continue to yearn for that someone, who will literally knock me off my feet and make me gush everytime he does something sweet. Okay, that’s enough. I can hear myself  say eeeww already.

I had a hard time thinking of what to post for this third challenge. You see, I’m not that much of a planner when it comes to dates or whatnot. I’ve long outgrown that part of my teenage years, which always wanted to do everything as planned. So for Day 3, I just compiled four photos that I think will make a perfect first date. It’s just the first date anyways. I can always demand for something bigger and costlier during the second, or third, or who knows, fourth dates. :p

A spontaneous out-of-town road trip can jumpstart this perfect first date. Actually, it doesn’t necessarily have to be out-of-town. A trip to Binondo (to eat mami and dimsum) or an Intramuros tour will suffice. After tiring our asses off from long, yet worthy walks, I’d like to have a sumptuous dinner somewhere. The dinner doesn’t need to be fancy, especially after sweating and inhaling the whole of Metro Manila. I can settle with the trusty fastfood joints. But of course, I would still secretly dream of indulging myself in foie gras, rib-eye steak, and mango juice (just coz I don’t drink wine) for this night. Being the movie addict that I am, I’d like to be treated to a movie date after the lovely dinner. I’d like to see how good his taste is when it comes to choosing movies. And then maybe a talk over coffee could be a good way to end the perfect night. A few good laughs and random jokes will never disappoint.

Aside from being pretty spontaneous, I’m just a cheapskate like that. There’s no need to shell out thousands of bucks just to give me my perfect first date. Well, it would be great to hear sweet music playing while eating or cleansing my palette with strawberry sorbet, but at the end of that perfect first date, what would matter is how we’ve introduced ourselves to each other and if it will be enough to make both of us hope for a second date.

Day 2: A photo of something you ate today

My sister, Nikki, will be leaving for Palawan in roughly a week’s time. She will be working as a trainee-sous chef in a four-star hotel, which will open sometime next month. And since her work calls for 24/7 service, I doubt she will be able to take vacations as often as she wants. So, as my going away treat for her, we went to the mall today and ate at Gotti’s.

I’ve always loved Italians. I mean the food–pizza, gelato, pasta, etc. There’s just something in them that makes you come back for another bite. And their ingredients are always refreshing to the palette. I was planning to order for my favorite pasta dish, Pasta Vongole, but I changed my mind when I saw their merienda meals. I also felt like eating chicken finger so I got the one with a carbonara-chicken fingers-2 pcs. focaccia bread combo. I’m not a big fan of carbonara, so I can’t really tell if I liked it. But I was able to finish my plate–that already says something yeah?

Thank you, Trippy for inspiring me to do this.

Day 1

Day 1: A photo of yourself and a description of how your day was

I was supposed to post this last night, but since I was out, I decided to just write my first post this morning.

If there’s anything I would love to do for the rest of my life, it will have to be eating and cooking. I love food. It’s the only thing that makes me happy besides boys. Okay, I’m kidding. Ever since I discovered my weird metabolism–that is eating so much and never gaining a single pound–I took advantage of it and just devoured every amazing dish, healthy and unhealthy alike, that my eyes set on.

Whenever we do our weekly grocery shopping, I see to it that I buy a lot of food items to replenish my “food drawer” in the office. I also make sure that I am able to buy the necessary ingredients in baking my favorite pastries and dishes.

Just one trivia, my mind automatically shuts down when I’m hungry. I swear I function really well when I’m munching on something or only when my tummy’s satisfied.

For this challenge, I asked Trippy to take this photo of me because I thought this perfectly depicts how my day was yesterday–it’s delightfully alright despite some sticky and awkward situations. Having gone through some horrifying virtual experience recently, I think this photo portrays that part of me, which still celebrates a humble victory against all odds.

It’s a good thing Ms. Justine’s birthday blowout was held yesterday, I was able to use the cake as a prop. And of course, birthday means a lot of food! We feasted over pizzas, chocolate cake, and ice cream–just the perfect way to end the seemingly-endless week. Happy birthday, Ms. Jussy!

A few days from now, I will close another chapter in my life. It won’t be permanent though, as I will be coming back [with a vengeance] maybe after three or four years. I can’t tell. I’d like to say it was a sweet five or six months, but I don’t think “sweet” is the perfect word to describe the whole experience. I’ll just settle with it was a short five or six months. It was short and eventful, to say the least.

If there’s anything I will forever be grateful for, it would be the lessons that I learned at the end of each day. If I put them altogether, I can probably fill up a notebook or two just narrating my experiences and all the lessons that went with them. I’ll probably smile at some and just diss the others, I don’t know.

I’m seeing brighter days. And yes, they will come sooner.

I never expected it’ll come this soon. Thank you, God.

That’s how desperate I am right now in getting my weekends back. Saturdays and Sundays have never been so precious. Back when my life was still normal (Don’t get me wrong. My life’s still kinda normal, but a lot of things have changed already making it a little more complicated than what it used to be), I would make sure that I bake or cook something for the family on either days. I would watch as many movies as I want and sneak some sleep in between. I would join my family in Sunday lunchouts and shopping. That was how my weekends were before. Sweet and relaxing.

Since I started working for a newspaper, my life has become unpredictable. I am on call 24/7. I am all over the Metropolis. I jump from one coffee shop to another searching for free wi-fi. A holiday is a working day (plus the overtime pay). Public transportation is my bestfriend. And Sunday is basically just another working day. Everything is twisting and turning right before my very eyes.

I have always liked working in the media industry. Although I did not see myself as a reporter before, I am glad life took its turn and brought me to where I am now. Having worked as a journalist/reporter for two publishing companies (foreign and local) made me appreciate the job even more. Apart from the perks and freebies that go with the job, the sense of fulfillment it gives me everytime I see myself on an article I write makes me want to be a part of the giant industry all the more.

Then again, there will always come a time when you’d stop and think about everything you have given up for the sake of this job. You’d wake up one day asking yourself if you made the right choice in surrendering your whole life for public service. You will reach a point when you would just want to slap yourself hard and blame yourself for whatever’s happening to you right now.

I have been there. Actually, I have been in a limbo for quite sometime now. I know what I want, but I’m scared I might not be able to get it. I have my priorities, but I am not sure if I will be able to meet all of them. Everytime I go back to the longest month of my life when all I did was wake up, watch movies, and stare blankly at the ceiling, I cringe for fear that I might go back to the same horrible situation again — something, which I never want to experience anymore.

So now, I am playing smart. I laid down all my cards on the table. I just need to strategize and play them well. I have great opportunities ahead of me. I just hope time will let me take advantage of them.

I want my normal life back and I will make it happen.

P.S.

Yes, I will still give up all my clothes for my weekends.

Yes, I am in the mood to fill my blog with rantings, musings, and whatnot once again. I have been living in the rut since I-can’t-remember-when. There was/were no inspiration/s at all, to say the least.

But now, I am so back. Unlike before when I still had my human stress absorber, I am on my own now–taking everything in and making sure that I get through tough times alive and breathing. A lot of things have happened and I am not sure if I can still remember all of them. But I am certain that there were lessons learned–superficial or otherwise. I hope I will be able to put them all into writing.

Tonight, my bestfriend is coming back. I can’t wait to see her after a year of not seeing each other. In case you don’t know, she’s been living the American dream since 2008 and we only get to see each other via webcam or whenever she comes home for vacation. So the next three weeks will hopefully be awesome.. and yeah, legendary!

Ta!