It's 2010!

Happy New Year everyone! It's a bit late I know, I'm sorry. Belated Merry Christmas too.

There's so much I want to write about my Christmas break/holidays. I had an amazing Christmas break even though it didn't start so good because I wasn't able to finish 9 mornings. As usual, it was only me and my sisters who celebrated the Christmas break and with my step mother. In the morning of the 24th everyone was busy preparing for the Noche Buena, then, we attended the Christmas Eve mass and it was one of my favorite masses of 2009. It was a very happy christmas for us and for everyone in the neighborhood, and all of us I hope. The last day of 2009 was quite dramatic for me. I was expecting and been really looking forward to watching fireworks after the mass outside the church but early in the evening it rained really hard so we were not able to go to church for the New Year's eve mass and of course, I missed the fireworks display. I was so sad about it and since it was raining I thought it was such a sad way of welcoming 2010. But the mood suddenly changed when we started hearing firecrackers and loud music, and the rain slowly stopped. To my surprise we have a number of neighbors too who had fireworks so I was so happy that I didn't miss the fireworks display after all. Then we Karaoke'd and danced 'til 4 am.

Over all, it was a very fun-filled Christmas and New Year. I have never enjoyed the holidays this much after my mom died and my sister and her family left our house. I guess it's really true that time can heal everything, and someday everything with fall into their proper places. Also happiness is a choice. For the past Christmases, I always whined about why we are left alone in our house while other families enjoy being together celebrating Jesus' birthday. Last Christmas was completely different. The 3 of us (me and my sisters) just let everything up to God and never worried about being alone on holidays anymore. I really enjoyed my holidays. And on New Year's eve after the Media Noche, my year started with a beautiful heart-to-heart talk with my father. It was one of the most precious gift I received for the holidays. Material gifts, my family, fireworks, food, Jesus - I couldn't ask for more. It was one of my happiest Christmas and New Year ever. Though I still wish to spend my future Christmases with my dad with us and of course, snow. I really want to experience a White Christmas someday!!  I'm so jealous of my friends in Korea who had snow since December and until now. Though of course it's a nuisance for them because it's hard to travel to school or work when it's snowing.

The gifts I received last Christmas were beautiful too (the material ones, I mean). I did not have a list of the things I wanted to receive this year. Before, I always have a list before Christmas even though I know I won't receive them all. I don't know why I was like that. Maybe because after a month or years, looking at it and seeing some of those I listed already present in my room makes me feel really happy. I've been writing "laptop" on my lists for years and finally I got it on 2008. From the smallest things like toys when I was younger to the laptop and internet connection, I'm glad that slowly they are coming true. hahaha! I think I should start writing "house and lot," "car" and audi turbocharger next Christmas. I don't know when I'll have it but of course I have to work for it. It took me years to be deserving of my beloved lappy you know.

Well it's back to school now so I'm back to studying and battling with endless quizzes and exams again. Tomorrow I have 2 exams so I need to get started in studying now.

I hope you had a great Christmas and New Year Celebration guys.

Happy 2010 and may we have a happy and prosperous year of the metal tiger! :)

I Want a Personalized Duffle Bag for Christmas!

Since it's holidays I don't have much to do so for the past week I just had movie marathons and Kdrama marathons. Actually, I have lots to do but I want to enjoy the holidays so I'm setting them aside until after our highschool reunion. haha! Then I'll do my assignments and take a break for the New Year celebration. I hope I have more time to enjoy and just be a couch potato. Haha!

Today I watched some episodes of Iris, my new addiction. It's a Kdrama that just aired its last episode last week. It's a great action-drama series starred by Lee Byung Hun and Kim Tae Hee. I'm going to make a review of the drama Iris soon. I love, love, love it. Its cinematography, plot, script, cast, and acting - definitely fantastic. I'm hoping to finish watching it this week.

After watching Iris, we went to the city to buy some groceries that we forgot to buy last week for our Noche Buena. There were so many people in the mall and in the streets. I had fun looking at them and walking past them. I can really feel that it's really Christmas in just a few hours. But of course because of the Christmas rush, I expected the very long queues in the counters. Good thing I have already bought my gifts last week to avoid such hassles. I'm very excited to see my sisters' reactions when they open the gifts I bought them. I hope they'll like it. But what I'm more excited about are the gifts I'm going to receive. Who wouldn't be excited right? Christmas, aside from being about God, is also about giving and receiving. And one of the best gifts you can give to students like me is a personalized duffle bag! People who personally know me know very well that I'm not a very big fan of collecting bags. I only get those which I really need. In fact I only have one for each special need I guess. And this personalized duffle bag is one that is not yet in my closet so I will really be delighted to receive one of these cute duffle bags for Christmas. Well, of course, it would be much better if you personalize it and print Super Junior members' names there. I'm also thinking of giving some to my friends and relatives after the Christmas break. A laundry bag would be nice for my classmates who are living in boarding houses and don't do the laundry themselves. Insulated lunch totes would also be best for my cousins who are still students. Wow. In just a matter of time it will be Christmas and I can smell excitement everywhere I go. Merry Christmas everyone!

[Life Update] Happy December!

It's this time of the year again! My second favorite time of the year(next to summer) is Christmas.

I just love waking up on cold mornings. But sometimes because of the cool morning air, I tend to curl up back to sleep then run late in my classes. Other than the cold mornings, I'm excited for Christmas because of the break, the food, and the gift-giving.

Philippines is probably the only country I know that celebrate Christmas the longest. Most of the people start decorating their houses in September and take down the decorations in the second week of February. For our house, we put up our Christmas tree last week after the Halloween. Last year, our theme was blue and silver but this year we sticked to the red-green-blue theme and added a little gold and silver accent. We also had more Christmas lights this year so I really feel happy looking at the tree and the decorations at night.

Christmas break also means that my friends who are not studying in Iligan are coming home, and of course, the annual school alumni homecoming. Last year, I was not able to attend but this year, I will definitely go because I already miss hanging out with my highschool buddies.

Oh I forgot about the Christmas shopping!

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It's during times like this that I really question myself, "Was the decision my dad made correct?" We've spent 7 Christmases apart since he left to work abroad on the April of 2000. Although I can say that nasanay na kami, iba parin pag nandito siya at kumpleto ang pamilya.

Sometimes I wonder, "Ano kaya ang dapat mangayari sa Pilipinas para magising ang mga tao? Paano kaya natin sisimulan ang pagbabago para umunlad naman ang ating bayan? Kailan pa kaya uunlad ang Pilipinas?" I hope sooner.. Para naman wala nang mga magulang na mangingibang bayan at mag-titiis sa pangungulila para lamang mabigyan ng magandang buhay ang mga anak nila..

Ang mga OFW's nga ang tinuturing na mga bagong bayani dahil sa halaga ng dollars na pinapasok nila sa economiya ng bansa through the remittances. But many (or I think all) of them are not happy with the continuous backsliding of the Dollar-Peso Exchange Rate. I took up my Econ1(Intro to Economics, Taxation and Land reform) subject just last semester and I learned that the lowering of Dollar-Peso Exchange Rate means that Philippine economy is getting better. Well, in my observation, this strengthening of our economy is not felt by the "masa" and the middle class. Prices of goods continues to soar high.. Unemployment rate is still high.. Except of course sa mga nag-aabroad. And these OFW's and their families who are one of the major reasons of the strengthening of the Peso are also affected.. -heightening of prices of goods, gasoline, at pamasahe. Most importantly, since ang baba baba na talaga nang dollar ngayon, it means na bumababa na din ang value nang sweldo nang mga ama namin pagkapadala dito sa Pilipinas..

Unsaon naman lang ni? Should we wish na sana ipinapagtuloy ni Trillanes ang coup, para tumaas ang dollar? (joke lang poh.. baka mapagkamalan akong terrorista) I really don't understand.. Kaya naman ang gusto ko ngayon ay maka-graduate na.. And hope and pray na sana makapagtrabaho agad preferrably abroad and get out of the country the soonest possible. As of now, yan pa lang ang nakikita kong paraan..to help my family and help the Philippines..

Total my post sounds like an open letter na para sa mga kapwa ko Pinoy, lulubusin ko na.. To quote an article form our History 1 book(i think Renato Constantino is the author of the article), man the collective, not man the individual ang motivators of change. The mass of human beings is the one responsible for whatever change we want to achieve, for whatever is happening now and for what is going to happen in the future. Let's act for change to happen. let's start now. Let's not let the Filipino nation sink. Ako'y isang hamak na 2nd year college student lang at ang tanging alam ko na maari nating gawin especially people of my age is to educate ourselves and be aware of what's happening to our country and apply what we learn in school to promote change. Umpisahan natin sa mga sarili natin. Easiser said than done but i think we can. Hindi rin ako perpektong tao pero gayunpaman alam ko may magagawa ako, may magagawa tayo..

grabe na jud ni ha.. I'm supposed to write about how my family is going to spend Christmas but it turned out na mura ko ug gabuhat ug essay para sa history.. duh..nigawas akong pagka-nationalistic..

this is just my opinion people.. if you have any reactions, please leave a comment.. but as of now, hindi pa mababago ang mga paniniwala ko regarding the above matters.. that's all.. God bless