Moving Forward!

Yes, I am alive!

I can't say "I'm back" though, for one main reason: there is no assurance that I am indeed back on the blogging, and if this time it is for real. The past three months were a whirlwind of learning and adjusting to new people, places, things... New life, perhaps?

What I can say is that my blogging would still be intermittent bordering on nil-nada-zilch. Aside from the fact that I rarely use a computer outside the office now, when I do, I always end up choosing to do other things. I love writing, especially if it's recording my daily life experiences, musings, and whatnot, but sometimes I find comfort in just keeping things reserved. At some point, I felt like I was on the verge of winning the Queen of Overshare crown. As much as it sounds like it's a royal award, I don't think I would like that.

Anyway, this will probably be the last of my journal entries...

For the year! Haha! I don't think I can ever let go of this blog. I've deleted a ton of things that contained years of memories; all those posts prior to the first entry of the rebirth of this blog, and I'm not about to put this all to waste. I will keep this like it's treasure.

I probably won't be writing as frequently as I did when I was in school; back when I had time to write endlessly because I always put off doing my homework. Haha! And I probably won't be writing as much about the details of my life, just because. I never really worried about security or stalkers or whatever; I always believed that I was responsible for everything I published and I still hold that idea that everything that goes on here will be accountable to me. It's just that life gets pretty mundane one moment and super exciting the next. I guess if I write about everything from both ends and everything else in between, I would run out of things to say, and I wouldn't want that. Or if I keep having words to say, which is mostly the case, I would become less interested in what life has for me.

I want to keep this blog for... I dunno. I don't wanna have a purpose for this anymore. Maybe this creature of habit finally found her kryptonite at breaking the writing habit, I don't know. It would be sad but rest assured that I will be coming back. To write about a new career opportunity, to write about family, to write about life and love, to write about the random things I always do, to write about what what drives me to go through day to day...

That said, I will be moving forward, with myself, with work, with family, with love... With life. I am now keeping a journal (yes, the old school one!) and so far have been unsuccessful at making the quota of writing one entry a day! Haha. Quantity doesn't deem to important nowadays when all that matters is that I write with the heart and the mind in the same direction.

Thank you, 2011. You have been an amazing, amazing, amazing year. No words for the greatness you have brought into my life. Welcome, 2012. I have high hopes with you!

And to you, my friend, here's to yet another year gone by and to another year to make hella awesome memories again! Cheers!

The Joke Was A Reality

Ever since I could remember, or how photos made me remember, I had the perennial dark rings around my eyes. I didn't skip sleep hours then as much as I do now. These dark rings, or bags, around my eyes weren't as prominent before. It was never a problem, really. They only got worse when I started getting less sleep than I should have, what with all the stuff happening as I started in college. Eye bags, fine.

I only started asking why or how I got them in the first place. Genetics was the easiest leeway, but I wasn't very convinced, see. People, including my family (and especially my dad) used to (and still do) tease me that I look bumbay (Indian) because of my dark and round eyes. It was even amusing that I found out about a popular Bollywood star named Celina Jaitley, whose first name mirrors mine. Anyway, don't get me wrong, I never found it offensive when they teased me. Sometimes it's really funny how even I get convinced that maybe I am of Indian lineage somehow.

Exhibit A, B, and C, Celina Jaitley.

Exhibit D, Celina Salvador.

NOT EVEN CLOSE. LOL! I could die laughing at my weirdness. Hahaha.

Tonight, though, I found out the biggest and most amusing shock of my 19 years of living. (Fine, that was a little exaggerated. But I really was dumbstruck and speechless.) While my folks and I were having our regular small talk over dinner, my brother reported that we were, somehow, of Indian descent. I laughed at the idea but to my (big) surprise, my mom affirmed. Turns out, my maternal grandfather's parents were Spanish- and Indian-Filipino in lineage. I feel like a semi-halo-halo. LOL.

And who would have thought that the joke has been a reality all this time? Certainly not me!

Super S[Wet] Si[ck]steenth

As in super WET, because the rain didn't let up until we decided to order in; and as in super SICK because my brother got home from school with a high temperature in tow. Super sweet sixteenth indeed! /sarcasm

You know when a few planned things aren't carried out because of unforeseen circumstances? This isn't what today had been... because what happened today was that everything we planned weren't carried out at all! It poured really hard this afternoon and my brother was sick with fever. Can you really blame anyone? You can't force anything either.

The Plan: Thanksgiving mass, dinner with the family at some restaurant, go somewhere else for cake and other desserts, probably, and head home.

The Output: Stayed home, called up a pizza delivery service, woke up sick brother, took photos, sang Happy Birthday, no cake, no candle, watched TV during dinner.

Disaster? No, not at all. I loved how spontaneous everything was and we still had a great time.

Happy 16th birthday, Gabe! You may not hear me say it but I know that you know that I love you. Hihi. (I was gonna post a family photo but we all looked so eww cos no one bothered to look presentable; pambahay mode! So I deleted it. Haha.)

A Day of Sorts

MOST AWESOME FAMILY BONDING WEEKEND YET!

We all woke up at the ungodly hour of 3AM because we headed to Nuvali in Laguna for the Bull Session 3. No, I didn't participate in it (wish I did, though), but Daddy did! And yes, the whole family was there to support. Haha. :)
The Bull Runner, Jaymie Pizarro, giving out instructions on groupings.

If I'm not mistaken, that's The Bull Runner's group doing a 5 minute run, 1 minute walk.
I think 5:27 AM is pretty late starting time for a long run. By long, I mean marathon long. It'll be too hot by the time runners cross the finish line. Then again, that's just my musing.
Mom, brother, and I ran our own route. I disappointed myself with my performance today. My mind, lungs, and legs weren't in harmony. I lack practice! I've been a bum for three weeks now. But can you really blame me for bumming and pigging out after the finals week of my third term for junior year? Haha.
Hi-ho, hi-ho! Laborers on their way to work on a bright Sunday morning. Two more and they'd pass up as the Seven Dwarfs. Heehee.
With these signs, Nuvali seems like a very friendly place. I like it there!

While we were running back to Solenad, we decided to quit so we could take in the scenic surroundings. They may be man-made but it's almost unnatural to not be awed.
So yes, we had to stop for photo-op. Haha! :P
And so after we cleaned up, we fed millions of Koi fishes! They're gross when they crowd and go crazy over tiny fish food pellets. It's fun, none the less. :D
The taxi boat ride was just too tempting to let it pass up. Haha, such dorks. Besides, Daddy was still running then. Haha, excuses!
Speaking of Daddy, spot Dad run! In case you can't zoom in, he's making a funny pretend-binoculars gesture with his hands against his eyes; and I wonder why I get too goofy at times. Haha!
Yay, fun boat ride! Dorks 101.
I am not ashamed to say why this photo looks pathetic: I'm such a chicken for not going up to Jaymie Pizarro (The Bull Runner). All I wanted was to take a photo with her but I don't know what got to me. Hey, don't judge me for being pathetic, okay. We have our days. Haha.
So... Here's Daddy, with really bad tan lines. No, it's brown lines. It doesn't show how burnt his arms and legs were, though. Anyway, it got too hot that morning. Point is, it's a summer morning. I hope the TBR Dream Marathon starts earlier so each first time marathoner can finish the run sans injury and heatstroke! Haha. I'm excited for my dad! Someday, I will run my first marathon. Someday!

We were exhausted! It wasn't from running, I'm sure about that. Say, the Koi fish feeding? Or the boat ride? Oh, it's the heat! We were too tired that after an Italianni's lunch, we weren't so interested in shopping at Paseo. There wasn't much to see anyway. Too lazy to have taken photos on this part of the day as well. We all collapsed onto our beds and woke up hours later. After hearing mass, hello, Selecta Ice Cream Land!
Selecta Ice Cream Feast at the South Parking of the SM Mall of Asia! For only P50, you get a free ice cream on a cone, and once inside, line up all you want and get high on unlimited ice cream! Well, it got limited when they ran out. Haha. I had a cone and three cups. Ow, my tummy. I know.
The ride wasn't THAT great. It wasn't too shabby, too. But I. Was. In. A major screamfest! HAHAHA. I blame my brother for pushing me to experience "Underworld" on the X-Rider. Haha. The lady at the counter sheepishly nodded when I asked if my screams were too loud. Dammit. Hahaha.

I look forward to more days like this. It's hella tiring but it's great to get to spend time with folks despite my unfair summer schedule. :)