A Crazy Month

This month is far the craziest month ever. From national events to my private life. I am just thankful that everybody is still well and good. Though I can tell that it has been a very stressful month, I still believe that me and my family have been blessed and is being sheltered with God's blessings and grace!

Thanks God!

This Feeling Inside

For the past few days, I have this feeling inside of me. I don't know how to describe it. Anxiety? Nervousness? Scared? Happy? Sad? Disgust? Or is this a sign that I'm getting sick?

Do I need to relax? I think I need one but I feel that it's what I have been doing every weekend.

I need to detoxify physically, mentally and spiritually.

High Definition

I got a nice TV as a gift from my mom. It now resides in my room acting as morning-news-alarm-clock-getting-ready-for-work gadget and a PC monitor extension. I get HD local channels through a cable split, no additional cable box needed.

Another techie addition to my household is this new Toshiba HD DVD player as a gift from Jen and Horacio. I paired it up with my other TV in the living room. I thought TimeWarner HD channels were excellent already until I saw Children of Men on high def. HD DVD + HD Player + HD TV = an explosion of pixels in the screen!! It was more than superb!

Before I forget, a more recent addition is this Wii. It's not mine. Horacio just thought of leaving it at my apartment since he's always with Jen anyways. A lot of gadgets in my small apartment. If the cellphone-cancer thing was true, I'd be fried right now!

Big Birthday Bite

A big bite for a more bountiful year!

Thanks for the Party

After all the chaos, the party was still a blast. Food to feed an army!

Thanks mom!

Pictures coming soon.

Twenty-seven

Today I'm 27.

A year wiser and definitely a year older.

Thanks everybody for everything.

Wishing on a Whim

Last Sunday, my cousin asked me what I wanted for my birthday. Being someone who doesn't ask for anything, I answered, "World Peace!"

Today, after the fact that my mom gave me an early birthday present of a TV for my room, I am now wanting a mac mini. A cool way to transition to the mac world, right? However, thinking about it, would it just destroy my eyes since that TV I have is so big to act as a computer monitor? Anyways, still dreaming about it.

"Spring"ing Forward

In a few short weeks, I'd be turning a year older. Back in Manila, summer kicks off this occasion. Here in NY, it's spring. I kinda like it that way... a new beginning, a fresh start. Every year, the same questions pops up. Am I where I'm supposed to be?

However this year, that question went away pretty fast. I have the answer. I am happy where I am. I don't have to compare myself to my friends. They took one route, I took another. I can honestly say that if I decide to pursue other endeavours, I can. I may not have the riches, but I definitely have the freedom.

Single? Yup. Still single at 27. I don't care too much about it. Eventually I will find that right girl. Or maybe a few wrongs first. I just don't find the "sense of urgency" in being in a relationship. I get to go out, have fun, meet people. When I'm done, maybe that relationship will find its way. Maybe I need to explore the world to find that special someone, something that I have to travel for and discover.

I have always told my sister, if I get canned a work (which I am not really wishing for), I'd take whatever I have saved and go to Europe. Maybe stay with relatives in Austria, learn how to fish and be a farm boy for a while. Get to study German. I'd become that cool uncle to my nieces and nephews who travelled the world and give them ice cream when they are not supposed to.

My only thing for this year is that I look forward to everything that will come my way and see the God in everything. He made a great deal with me... after all the "character building tests" He gave me in my earlier life, I'd be enjoying the remaining part of it. I pray.

And I thought winter was over! Picture taken 3/16/07.

What's Up??

I have been out of commissioned in the blog sphere for the past three weeks due to a second job that I took. Good thing, that class is ending tonight. The students were pretty good students. Each has their own personalities that made the class what it is. They would be better students if I was their teacher at the very beginning. I think. Just attendance alone, I have been getting all of them come to class everyday!

The extra cash isn't that bad, but in taking this job, my health suffered. For one thing, I haven't been going to the gym as much as I have been in January. I have gone like 3 times in the three weeks since I have started to teach at night. I have made it a point at the house that we eat well before 8 in the evening, but for the past weeks, I have been eating at 9:30 or 10 and be sleeping at around 10:30 or 11. Not good at all.

Anyways, one news... I'm getting finger printed next week. A start to my process of becoming a citizen of this country.

Astrology

As a Catholic Christian I should not believe in astrology and all the horoscope brouhaha. I don't put my faith in it, but everyday I find myself reading what's in store for me as "written in the stars."

Anyways, my horoscope today dropped a few lines that could make sense but one thing stood out... "Someone of authority might say something unusual to you."

I was going to the water cooler, I pass by on of the Directors and the Chief Financial Officer. After the initial pleasantries of good mornings, the director blurted out, "I'm concerned whenever you are up here (since my office in one floor below)." in which the CFO replied, "I would be more concerned if he doesn't come up here."

What does that mean? Any takers?

Updates

Well, it's February and the next thing we know its summer once again then come Thanksgiving then Christmas.

Anyhow, life has been good. Can't complain. Got a black video Ipod as a replacement for my photo Ipod. Been going to the gym at least 4 times a week in the morning before coming to work. Have started to browse through my GMAT books. Kinda confident in the verbal part and need a lot of work on the math part.

My next few plans would be to go on a retreat before Lent. This year, I'm giving up on rice and pasta. I have been thinking about fasting for at least one day in a week, I'll have to pray on it.

I have been getting the pre-hives thing. I'm guessing the season is finally changing either going to Winter (since we have not really had it in January) or skipping to Spring. We'll ask the ground hog this Friday.

Saving Pays Off

I have been saving on everything since the new year. Come to think of it, for past few years, I have developed that habit of saving. I was able to simply move out to a new apartment after coming back from a vacation. And as we all know, moving to a new apartment costs money.

This post was inspired by what happened to my ipod situation. Since new year, I have been scrimping on stuff. I bought $60 worth of GMAT review books for $5.50, thanks to email coupons and points. I bought almost a year's supply shampoo, toothpaste, face wash (all high end stuff, around $480 worth of stuff, $200 of which is for my mom) etc for $40 thanks to ADR points.

Now with my ipod. My ipod went Halloween on me since December. The last thing I was able to listen to was an audio book that I wasn't even able to finish. Any hows, I remember about buyer's assurance from American Express. I called them up, filed a claim at the nick of time (just 2 1/2 weeks until expiration). After almost two months of wait, I got a call from Patrica from AmEx's Claim Processing and she gave me the go signal to purchase a new ipod and I get reimbursed. Since Apple don't carry the 40Gig photo ipod, I was told to get the 80Gig Video Ipod. The problem now is, which color black or white??

Time Stands Still

December happened so fast. January is on the crawl.

After making all those goals and lists to do for this new year, I just realized that today is only the 23rd. Given that there are like 10 days before February, nonetheless, 2007 have started to be very well managed and paced just right.

One thing for sure that keeps me to one of my goals this year (manage myself better), is my re-mastering the art of multi-tasking. I do office work early in the day to leave the afternoon free for troubleshooting and stuff (meaning, work of others supposedly). For the past few days however, my afternoons have been free. This allows me to do stuff that I would otherwise plan to do at home but procrastinate such as balancing my check book, paying bills, preparing my bank statements for tax season etc. Mundane but time consuming anyways. If only I can influence my boss think that working from home would be beneficial for everybody! Then again, that is wishful thinking.