12 days of Christmas

by the 24th of december, i felt the Christmas rush was over. alas, mhaelord and i spent some time at the mall but to complete the preparation for Christmas day, we both went to confession at greenbelt chapel.

it’s sad how by the 25th of december or even before that, when actual Christmas day gets closer, the Christmas cheer slowly fades. in fact, they even started clearing the decorations in the office on the 23rd. goes to show how superficial the festivities have become.

not all is bad, though. the Christmas rush getting all the superficial glare and glamour and noise and chaos leaves the actual Christmas season a more peaceful and solemn feel. it becomes truly the most wonderful time of the year.

the advent and Simbang Gabi preparations and services were almost stressful if not for the Christmas spirit showing in the people around me. Christmas eve and Christmas day was grand spending most of it with family and friends and the most awesome girlfriend.

this month also was special for 4 of my closest friends. it’s pretty unfortunate i only got to attend one of 4 weddings. tj, a friend since highschool; mike bantol, from college and after; michelle, from after college; then menard, kabarkada. next year, it’s going to be dogi and ced’s turn.

before Christmas mhae and i got to get ourselves new shoes that we first used on michelle and alain’s wedding. we also managed to get me a new polo which was i think the second shirt i bought this year. i also got a pair of black swatch boatshoes to alternate with my amaretto sperrys and go with black jeans and slacks. on mmff movie day with the Contis, we also got to get me a couple of new shirts at uni qlo c/o papa’s metrobank gift check thing.

as with previous years, i didn’t get to go with everyone else’s Christmas rush. this time, i tried and successfully got some gifts bought and given 2 days after. i hope to get the rest done before my birthday comes.

i think the last two big things in my very unmanaged to-do list this year are to get mhaelord a dozen flowers and get my room cleaned up. the flowers, i got to get them and make her cry tears of joy—again—and it’s amazing how she had a hunch about that. a dozen roses for the past 12 months that were made brighter and more beautiful thanks to her. also, i can’t close the year without giving her yellow roses. last valentine’s day, we went with non-yellow roses. since the start of our romance had a fateful yellow rose in it, i sure am glad i got to do give her that bouquet today. as for my room…i should really end this blog now and get that started.

and in all, thank You Lord. Happy Christmas and thank you for the past year.

3, 2, 1, new start

pinagdiriwang ang buwan ng nobyembre na inaalala ang mga yumao. sa pag-alaala sa mga nagdaang buhay, mukhang ang nangyari ngayon para sa akin, naging parang new year sa akin.

sa trabaho, may bagong scheme sa project. disyembre na pala bukas. kung tutuusin, dapat pala may bagong natapos nang project pero tila bagong simula. hindi naman karekla-reklamo yun kasi mas maganda at mas mapapaganda pa ang gagawin.

sa SMC, may bagong buong pagsasama at mukhang mas gaganda pa ang tunog. sa grand choir, tapos na ang mga ensayo ngayong taon at sa enero na uli ang paghahanda sa pagdating ni Pope Francis.

sa bahay, masaya ang birthday celebration ni mama. masaya rin ang pahinga kahit hindi masyadong umaayos ang kwarto ko.

sa aming pagsasama ni mhae, lumalabas ang paging sobrang sweet namin—halos sabay nagkasakit. nagkasakit ako noong nakaraang linggo, nawalan pa ng boses. si mhae, medyo mas malala kasi kinailangang mag-absent. ako, halfday lang pero kasi na-late ng gising dahil na rin sa gamot.

sa barkada, akong madalas na absent ay kinailangang makasama sa project bohemian rhapsody ni dogi sa centerstage kahit paos (at iyon ata ang nagpawala ng boses). may ikakasal sa december 5 next year.

sa pitaka, medyo lumuluwag pero nakakasulit naman at may pag-asa pa sa projection. salamat din sa paylite buy now pay later at sa feb o march ko pa babayaran ang bagong z1 compact na matagal nag pinangarap at pinaghandaan bago pa ma-announce.

sa paghahanda para sa Pasko, nagsimula na ang project give love. sa mas pagpapakita rin ni kuya jo, mukhang magiging mas musical ang Pasko.

sa liturgical calendar, bagong taon nga ito. sakto nga ata yung new year ko. isa ata ito sa mga sinasabi kong turning point, mas stretched lang. turning time.

Big 1 Month

Blog night is tonight because tomorrow night is concert night. I managed to convince myself to make the most of this opportunity to see the band again, this time with my significant other. I almost accepted the idea of not going in view of not so promising end-of-year saving projections, thinking to myself, most of the songs I love from Mr. Big are sad songs and I don’t really have that sadness in me now. Even still, I think I owe it to myself to see the band again during a happier time in my life. This is the next time around for me.

I finally had my hair cut partly due to a threat from HR. it’s like wearing glasses—I see things relatively better again. Office work is also getting clearer with Batasan’s final (supposedly) delivery set on Monday. TV5’s submittals are in check but things are getting exciting with our findings and the possible new scheme. Nevertheless, work is well.

Choir life is ok. One of the best things is Kuya Jo’s presence last Sunday. That was one sakto text I sent him that afternoon. As for the grand choir, I’ve been struggling but the experience is fulfilling and very motivating. We’ve had 2 pancit nights—Ara’s despedida and mac’s bday—and one session. Fun times.

Speaking of fun times, I’m missing ramen night. Jeff and I should hang out again soon.

Movie time with Mhae this month was for the third rurouni kenshin movie. It’s also fun/ny that I have a plastic katana on one of my guitar stands.

I have quite a number of new cards in my wallet right now. First would be mhae’s robinson’s rewards card that is useful since robonson’s department store and handyman are common stops. I think that card also covers second card is the Amici Gusto card that I got sales talked into but it’s ok. I’m finding more reason to eat there more often. I got myself a BDO savings account at last and the atm card is replacing the cash card in my wallet. Yeah! BDO online has served me a lot already with credit card payments and the freedom from the 2-peso per atm transaction cash card. The shiniest card in my wallet now would be the citibank mercury drug gold visa. I got it as an upgrade after reporting the fraud with origin.com. Talk about good things from tragedies.

That’s pretty much a good month. I’ve been finding it difficult to sleep early, though, and have not been productive during those sleepless hours. Minion rush is partly to blame. To think I’ve successfully completed the first half of the month with no lates but have consumed my “late cards” for the month just before the month ended. Not so bad, really. This month, looking back and with my mind pretty much set for tomorrow’s (already tonight’s) concert, was big. Small changes but the good feeling is getting bigger. Trim downs on the bad are still much needed but good is winning. More like greatness is growing.

go for clutch time on the 4th quarter

Ang bilis at medyo nakakapagod ang Setyembre. mukhang maganda ang simula, inisip ko pa na dapat the best ang birthday month ni mhae. una, pangalawa, pangatlong araw, mukhang ok. tapos nangyari ang SMC drama of 2014. di ko mabalikan ngayon pero at least naayos na yata. nagngingitian na ang mga tao at wala na akong nakikita at naririnig na masasamang salita. salamat kay Jeorge at Marly na nakita ko noong isang araw na magkasundo kahit ilang linggo bago yun ay matinding nakikipaglaban sa magkabilang panig ng magkakaibigang hindi nagkakaunawaan. ang malungkot lang ay ang pagkakataon din na yun ay habang may sakit si ara. pero salamat din dun at nabawasan ang natitirang pagdududa ko sa pagkakaayos nila, namin.

ang sarap ding makita at madama ang pagtulong at pagpapahalaga ng mga magulang ko sa pamilya ni mhae. mula sa paghatid sa amin ni papa ko sa emergency at pagtulong ni mama ko kina mhae kinabukasan nung kailangan nang i-confine ang kapatid niya, at sa patuloy na pagkamusta at pagdarasal, nakakapawi ng pagod.

busy at nasabayan ng emergency ang 2.5 year anniversary namin ni mhae at 26th birthday niya. ako, nanghinayang kasi di ako nakapaghanda ng regalo na gawa ko. mangiyak-ngiyak ako nung natuwa siya sa simpleng picture ng hugis pusong gawa sa mga balot ng KitKat mini na pasalubong niya sa akin. ang palad ko rin sa kanya na pinapahalagahan nang matindi ang pagdamay ko sa kanya. para sa akin kasi, automatic na yun. pero kung paano niya ako pasalamatan, lalong nagiging madali ang lahat.

sa opisina, mukhang nakakabawi naman ako sa pagsisipag kahit nakukulangan pa rin ako at malamang pati ang mga kasama ko. nagsisimula na uling uminit ang ulo ko pero buti hindi tumutuloy dahil tila mas na-gets na ng mga kasama kong sina jonas at tristan, kung paano ako pakitunguhan. sana pagbalik ng boss namin pagkatapos ng isang buwang bakasyon niya, magpatuloy ang pagsisipag ko. totoo nga, mas nakakagalaw ako na wala ang boss ko. sana masubukan/mapilit at magawa ko pa rin pagbalik niya. parang clutch time sa basketball.

sa susunod na quarter ng taon, kasama dun ang Kapaskuhan. naka-aga na ata ako sa pisikal na regalo sa sarili ko sa T100 ko. sana sa clutch time, mabigyang ko ang sarili ko ng pang-panalo sa pag-unlad ko bilang tao.

like 5-part short-stories, only less defined and more ordinary

blogging at this moment is pretty difficult, because if finally got a netbook upgrade. it’s a netbook upgrade and a new tablet. more on that some other day.

as for the august lookback, it was mostly spent in choir practices for fr. beng’s installation yesterday with his Eminence Cardinal Tagle, and for Pope Francis’s visit on january.

the month started with a pretty good pace for the better, spiritually. it actually went good with me being able to go to confession after more than 3 months. and on that weekend, my parents and i got to go to bulacan. i like the church’s look but the old house’s condition is sad. here we go again with the hope. and hopefully, by year’s end, i can get to have plans on the restoration.

the events went pretty sour with problems in the choir that went unnecessarily big. problems got solved though. hopefully they stay solved.

then there was yesterday’s drama about the lost umbrella. it was definitely sad, it was about loss afterall. it just became a bit more about anger and hot-headedness. i’m thankful that that too got resolved and immediately. that took about 6 days faster than the other problem.

moneywise, the savings started going down but are on the way back up. that’s nice.

then the gadgets, as mentioned above, got the new netbook/tablet, an asus t100. i’m calling it a booklet. and last week, mhae and i got a globe tattoo subscription with a skypad for her for an additional 1000 pesos and a 2-year lock-in. not bad.

work is bleh as usual. we’re past the limits in my project but i’m looking at a good finish to close things off right.

probably one of the best days this month was the 24th, with a movie date after a short videoke session. i also got to have some red horse later that night.

so yeah, looking back at august, there were a number of short stories, less concise, but life doesn’t really look concise most of the time. still, life is good and going great.

1/2 and 1/2

nagawa ko rin uli sa trabaho ang full attendance/paid leave sa first half. sabay ubos-ubos ng sick leave at unpaid leave naman pagdating ng second half. tinamaan ng sakit ng ngipin na nagdulot sa hindi pagpasok nang halos isang buong linggo. naka”swerte” nama kahit papaano dahil may halos isa’t kalahating araw na work suspension dahil sa bagyo. sa sumunod na linggo, dahil sa pagmamadali para hindi ma-late, naiwan ko ang payong ko. ang bunga: ubo’t sipon.

isa’t kalahating linggo pagkatapos ng isang linggong pag-antibiotic para sa impeksyon sa ngipin, panibagong linggo ng antibiotic at iba pang gamot para mas madaling mawala ang ubot’t sipon. ok na rin ito para mas makakanta nang mas maayos. magsisimula na ang mga practice para sa Papal visit.

kailangan ko ring maging mas present sa choir. tila pag hindi ako nakakarating nang Linggo, nagkakaroon o may nagsisimulang gulo. konti pang pananalig. at least kahit papaano, sa partisipasyon ko sa Music Ministry sa pangkalahatan, mukhang may napapala ang konti kong pangungulit para sa mga kailangang ayusin.

nakakarami ako ng gamot at sayang na araw na pwede sanang mag-date o mas mag-enjoy sa pagtambay. buti enjoy pa rin naman ang Friends pag kasama si mhaelord at nalilibang din ako ng series pampaantok. sakto yung spare na speakers ng ate ko kaya mas komportable na akong nakakanood dahil yung SLI PC na ang gamit ko.

at salamat din sa hindi na ginagamit ng tv nina ate, may tv na sina mhae sa kanilang nilipatang apartment sa taas ng dati. pagkatapos ng iba’t ibang ayos, ng mga gamit na karamihan pala’y galing dito sa amin at kina tita, umaaliwalas lalo ang lugar at mukhang tatagal sila doon nang maginhawa.

pagkatapos ng paggagamot ko mukhang kailangan kong maglinis ng mga kalamnan ko sa pagkain ng mas maraming gulay. mukhang hindi kami nakapag-ramen nights ni jeff nang matagal. subukan siguro naming mag-veggie ramen sa susunod. kailangan ko ring ayusin na ang aking routine kasi humihina lalo ang katawan ko. eto na naman tayo sa better me project. darating din tayo dun, sa malinis na masiglang katawan at kaluluwa para buong-buo ang buhay.

year and 0.493

i’m not really sure how exact that is. what i’m sure about is how the year is practically midway and i didn’t accomplish much the past month. i know there are bits of progress although i wish i went faster. lucky 7 july? maybe.

there were definitely good times and some adventures. flood and traffic last week made me have one. i estimated that to be a 690-meter walk, about half of it with the one i love.

i’ve had 2 ramen sessions with jeff and those went pretty well. i miss drinking and somehow had a couple of bottles with kiko and jason. conflicts keep rising in the choir but the newbies and kuya jo’s showing up get things going for the better.

i’ve got a couple of DC games in my PC (no) thanks to steams sales and i’ve less productive at home.

yep, still pretty good. i’m still living up to the happy day every day, somehow inspired by the 100 happy days thing around the net. i need to outdo that. oh, and the savings thing, i think i’m getting back at outdoing the savings scheme that got popular around the same time during the start of the year.

maybe this year, especially it’s world cup time, is gonna be like a futbol match. it’s gonna be low scoring, what’s important is winning. let’s say i’m in a draw now against my counter self (or something like in the justice league’s counterparts in injustice). off to the second half. goals are to be scored.

Almost the Last Day of Summer on the 31st of May

Parang ang bilis ng summer ngayong taon. Baka dahil na rin sa late nag-Holy Week.

ilang minuto na lang, June na, at minamadali ko tuloy ang post na ito. bakit ko nga ba minamadali? ah, oo nga pala, busy kasi kaya ngayon lang naka-post. busy sa pagiging busy talaga at busy sa pagpapahinga sa pagiging busy.

apat at kalahat ang weekend nitong buwan na ito. mukhang nasulit naman din kasi sa lahat ng weekend, may nagawang masaya. may mga sablay nga lang na medyo malaki. ayun, hindi pa pala nakakabawi. isa sa mga short term goal para sa june, kailangang makapangumpisal dahil sa hindi pagsimba at matagal na rin akong hindi nakakapangumpisal.

bale nung May 3, kaarawan ni papa at nag-antipolo kami. masaya kasi 1st time makasimba ni mhae dun.

May 10-11, nag-bakasyon kami. dun sumablay kasi di nakasimba at di rin nakapagdiwang ng mothers’ day. pero kahit papaano, masaya pa rin. at yun nga, babawi rin.

sumunod na linggo, bday naman ni Ate. maliit na bahagi ng weekend pero panalo.

last week ang siya namang pagdating ni aboy sa nilipatan ni mhae at simula ng sandaling bakasyon ni unang.

at kanina, fashion show ni mj tapos star city tapos ang pagbabalik ni kuya jo sa praktis.

may nauso o nauusong 100 happy days sa internet. kailangang i-document. di ko kailangang gawin yun. umaabot ng 366 ang happy days ko sa isang taon. kahit may konti o malaking dahilan para maging hindi masaya, meron at meron pa ring ikatutuwa sa araw na iyon at sapat na iyon para maging 1 happy day. summer days, rainy days, happy days.

turn 1 page at a time

this month, well, last week, we didn’t really get to celebrate our monthsary. we did have a winner celebration on our 24th month. since we didn’t get to celebrate our first year physically together, we waited for 2 years before counting the years more importantly than the months. numbers, the bigger numbers seem to make the celebration less remarkable.

april was also about many more things—trip to bicol; the lenten season ending, holy week, easter starting, and the choir activities with that; cv420; some drama in SMC; a new workplace at the office; getting really closer to the finish line with my project; and geekery, finally getting to transfer sli-pc to the nvidia chassis.

bicol was relaxing. it’s actually great how neither mhae nor i got ill afterwards.

holy week was spiritually uplifting. i think it was a success. mhae collapsed during the easter vigil but thankfully recovered quickly that same night. i think it was another memory to hold to remind me of God’s hand caring for me and my loved ones despite my many offenses.

cv420 was simply awesome. oh, and i think it got me to get more instagrammy.

drama in the choir started to happen again but is getting resolved, hopefully. i feel like i’m getting old for teen flick stuff.

the workplace is getting more worky towards the hopeful conclusion of the batasan project. r.v.mitra’s done but also is bianca’s time with the company. i’m quite affected. it’s an end of an era. well, i’m welcoming that in a new cubicle. i think it’s working for me much better than my workplace for 5(?) years has been for the past couple of years. oh, i’m turning 7 at the office on saturday.

migraine hit me the other day after a long time. it was bittersweet once again, being nursed by mhae, this time. i am forever thankful for the times my mother and father put up with me when i had migraines before. it feels like a call to get back into shape, though.

last weekend, two recent popes, one who was the pope i first knew, saint john paul the great, and saint john XXIII. they were popes of our time. i seem to continue to have mishaps in my road to be a saint. i pray, someday, with all these that happen in my life, the good and the bad, i may look back with enough satisfaction that after all these turned pages, i have finally achieved my goal.

turning points on month 3

maraming pagbabago sa mga nagdaang taon ang nangyari sa buwan ng marso. marahil ang pinakapanalo para sa akin ay ang pagbabago dalawang taon na ang nakalilipas.

ang mga katapusan ng klase noong elementary at high school ako, marso nagtatapos. mas turning point ata mga yun kaysa pagsimula kasi mas ramdam. mas may katuparan, may level up.

pagdating ng college, medyo naiba kasi simula ng abril karaniwang natatapos dahil sa trimestral system. pero sa mga panahong iyon, walong taon na pala ang nakalilipas, noon kami nailigtas sa sunog. may mga paalalang nawala, natupok ng apoy o nasira ng tubig, pero mula noon, nagsimula ang mas pagpapahalaga sa mga bagong alaala.

noong isang linggo, ipinagdiwang namin ni mhaelord ang dalawang taon namin bilang magkasintahan. sa lahat ng march turning point, ito sa ngayon ang pinakamasarap. kinabahan nga ako na baka sumablay sa 3-day celebration namin, ni hindi nga ako nagkaroon ng pagkakataong bumili ng mga bulaklak, pero masaya pa rin. salamat din sa kanya na very appreciative and very giving.

sa ibang medyo mas maliit na bagay, matagumpay kong na-cancel ang loan ko sa citibank. nadaan sa bola pero buti nabawi rin. nakapag-extend din kami sa batasan project. napasa na ang tier 2 report. magulo pero pwede na. sana lang, matapos na talaga bago matapos ang abril.

sa makalawa, maglalakad na ng mga papeles sa adamson si mhaelord. isa na ring turning point sa buhay ko ang pagbayad niya ng unpaid dues niya noong nakaraang linggo. malapit na ang panibagong chapter sa buhay namin kung saan magiging estudyante na uli siya. panibagong mode ng pagiging supportive boyfriend ito. sa mga nagdaang supportive boyfriend role, masaya naman ako at sulit na sulit. swerte talaga. ay, mali, pinagpala pala talaga.

2 years ago, this month had 29 days

i just got back from my hatid services. after mhae’s successful training at west, she’s started her night shift. we still had the past couple of weekends but starting this weekend, we’ll only have quite half of saturday. actually, last week, we didn’t get much of saturday, but that was my work’s fault. that aside, i think our schedules are ok with us. it’s much better than the time differential between here and the netherlands. i also think we got to make the most of the weekends we had. though much was spent on the couch napping or watching tv, we did get an lrt adventure with ara and aboy for aboy’s pup entrance test.

one lacking saturday though was bugyot’s wedding where i wasn’t able to ask for a second seat. she did get to see me in a coat and tie before i left and after. although i wish she was with me at the actual wedding. ah, yes, that night. it was also another of those feel bad then feel good at jolly dopey times. back to bugyot, i had a surreal feeling, an affirmation that dreams do come true. it was still akward, though, to be in the malate lit folio crowd after the longest time. to think i’d say, 10 years ago that that was my crowd. well, we change. but still, bugyot’s new life chapter overshadows the distance and akwardness.

i guess my crowd is now the choir. although the past few months until the past few weeks seemed to be leading to a disruption, i have to commend kuya jo, kiko, and everyone else’s efforts that led to how SMC is at now—back to getting better.

and speaking of better, i finally got to run some benchmarks. roughly, my i7 pc at work is definitely better for work and my i5 home pc is surely for play. this got reinforced just yesterday when this i5 ran the sap2000 model at about half the speed. very well, then. but this is still much better for play. hahahaha.

what isn’t a game is love. hearts day was spent with the usual dinner with the family. i didn’t get to bring mhae along because she had work. nonetheless, we had breakfast at greenwich libertad and got her flowers. the flowers were pre-ordered, though, not like when we had our first “date” there. the rest of the day was like a holiday since i took a leave. we failed to watch a movie and saved the movie dates for later. we watched starting all over again the following week.

and work stuff, more not a game, it’s getting tighter. i’m missing deadline i set. present tense. still hopeful as usual. it can get a bit relaxing, too, but the 2 nights at UPLB for the perform3d workshop still hit the sleeping habits a bit. it was fun learning and teaching, and i really hope to get to do or facilitate something similar. someday.

UPLB is a breath of fresh air to me. the chocomilk and buko pie successful pasalubongs are more plus points. the environment and the learning experience and the fact that i don’t have to go to the office made the need to return that friday and go home saturday midday not so bad afterall. not getting our objectives complete was a bit of a downer, but as i said, we’ll get through this.

performance based design, the concept, i’ve gotten it long ago. the application, i’m getting there. i’m a slacker, i know, but the potential to contribute in something this big to the company i work for and the profession i’m in, it gives me the drive that i think i’ve lost before. this is future stuff.

and speaking of future stuff, i finally got convinced by citibank to do that loan thing. i just need to clarify stuff. but i did get to get a checking account. my mother is very skeptical about these loans. i think i have to find a way to positively counter that skepticism soon.

that day i got my checkbook, something meant for future payments, mhae and i watched the lego movie. it was also the 3rd day of our 23rd month together. we watched at moa for the first time together. previous dates at moa for us both were with different partners. i finally got to movie date with her, my future. and lego, it’s a building block of my past. i’m glad she enjoyed the movie. next month, we’ll be on our second year. the profession of love happened 2 years ago on the 29th. that was one eventful leap year. i’m glad it happened.

when i got home from our date, i realized that was when tita chato was to be confined at makati med. next day, the results of her biopsy were found to be favorable. another thing to thank God for.

and i’m successfully getting sleepy, offline. i wish internet is back when i get back home later. or in the morning. gotta wake up early. internet dependent. being offline, and having some important work stuff to do, i felt that need to fix my room again. last week, i started drawing in cad the east side of my room to estimate and make working drawings for the two shelves i need. i don’t know when i can continue that. maybe i’ll get to finish my 3d model for my room. just basic shapes, not accurate models. something to play around with when trying to rearrange. yep, something to do, another thing pending.

28 years

masaya at sumasaya pa.