i'm alive, i'm well, i feel great!!!

i got those lines from a recent training i attended. it sounded corny at first until it became a private joke among us trainees... then eventually a personal mantra. everytime i would say it in my mind it just infects me to become this very positive person. but i did not achieve this certain optimism by the mantra alone. looking back at the past weeks, i "retraced my steps" and found out what i have been doing to keep myself, alive, well and feel great.

- give thanks: when one is thankful for the smallest of things, he tends to appreciate more that life has to offer, even the not so good ones.

- carry a song in your heart: i believe that a good song can affect your mood. whistle a tune if you're feeling down, but please don't sing "All By Myself." and if you're in a better mood, reinforce that song by dancing! follow your personal rhythm and start feeling great.

- smile/laugh: it's the most inexpensive way to improve one's looks. and it's contagious!

- compliment: spread the love by making others feel good. compliment a colleague's new haircut or give a tap on the shoulder to your seatmate who offered help. there are so many good things in the world and all you need to do is acknowledge them.

- accept: accept everything you experience in life and treat them as blessings. when you accept your shortcomings, you tend to accept the fact that you as a person has limitations, and it unburdens you from the worries that bother you.

- circulate: take some time to go out with people. not only it broadens your social circle, it also improves your social skills (communication, empathy, negotiation).

- sleep: your body needs adequate rest to recharge. a well-rested body is a fully functional one.

- spend some ME time: enjoy life's indulgences. treat yourself whenever you feel you have accomplished something. spend some time alone to reflect on your life.

do good things and good things will come to you. what the mind can conceive, the body can achieve. don't worry, be happy. hakuna matata. the cliches are all around to reinforce us that the key to living a good life does not lie on having all the material things that you want. all you need is a positive attitude.

new me for the new year

i've done checking my christmas list so i'm now preparing my NEW ME list for 2008.

in order to achieve the new me, i will strive hard to do the following:

- make more time for family: last year i got so focused on living independently and widening my social circle that it compromised my relationship with my family.

- live healthy: resist softdrinks and eat more fruits and vegetables and drink milk (even if i really don't like the taste). regularly work out and get enough sleep.

- learn, learn, learn: make each day an experience to gain knowledge and wisdom

- stay optimistic: not let the small stuff get me down, count my blessings and spread the positive aura all around

- allot some ME time: leave some moment for reflection and relaxation.

- save up: stay liquid and probably invest on something.

i hope i make good progress this year and be able to sustain it until i get fabulously old. :-p

may your days be merry and bright...

i'm wishing everyone a very happy christmas! i hope that you find joy not by the gifts that you received in a box, but by all the blessings, big or small that you received the entire year. gifts that brought you strength and wisdom that you may impart on others as well.

tonight, say grace, have fun (go easy on the alcohol), and indulge! :-)

i've experienced beyonce...

last night was definitely one of my highlights of 2007. my very first time to watch a foreign act and it's BEYONCE!!! i used to see her captivating performances only on tv but last night i was at the fort open field watching her live. she approached the stage around 8:30 pm in a sparkly silver gown (like in the promo material) and the crowd went wild. she perfomed her biggest hits, crazy in love (and gnarls barkley's "crazy"), freakum dress, green light, beautiful liar, naughty girl, me, myself and i, dangerously in love, upgrade u, ring the alarm, listen, irreplaceable (final number), and a medley of destiny's child songs (jumpin' jumpin', survivor, bug a boo). the all-girl band was impressive and each were given a moment's spotlight as beyonce prepares for her next set.

grabe, sobrang galing!!!

i've been to the beyonce experience... and it was worth it!!!

nais kong magpakalasing...

i never really knew my alcohol tolerance. i'm a social drinker and when i drink, i only drink up to the point of being tipsy. enough woozy feeling to wake up the follow day with a recollection of the night before without the unnecessary hangover.

but then last wednesday, i was invited to a halloween party, and one of the guys had this crazy idea of doing a "still standing" type of drinking game (thanks a lot, don!). the standard set consists of 10 drinks (including chasers). because of my weak liver, i had to lower it down a notch to 7 drinks (including water and chasers). i gulped and gulped up to the last glass and was victorious. for the first 20 minutes i was in full control. i was very much aware of what was going on. but the moment i stood up to move to another room i felt like i'm experiencing vertigo on acid! it was terrible and funny at the same time. i threw up around three times i think but it didn't seem enough to get rid of that awful feeling in my head. with enough determination, i kept myself from throwing up on the car that took me back to the condo.

the awful feeling went on until afternoon the following day. the whole experience was funny and all, but i swear not to ingest that much alcohol for the rest of my life.

nang minsa'y ako'y nagsenti...

yes, there was a time in my life that i felt totally in love. and a bit stupid, yes. but it's good in a way because love gives you the extraordinary feeling - feeling that you can do almost anything; in my case, write almost anything.

feel free to close the browser if you don't want to cringe upon reading this.

"nung unang beses pa lang kitang nakita, nagustuhan na kita. gusto lang kitang makilala nun at sapat na yun sa akin dahil alam kong hindi tayo magkaliga.

pero ang pagkakataon pinagtagpo ulit tayo. at natuklasan ko ang magagandang bagay sa iyo. pinakita mo rin na sa akin ang magagandang katangian ko - mga katangiang maski ako hindi ko alam na meron ako.

wala akong hinangad kundi maging masaya tayo pareho. kahit na ang ibig sabihin nun ay hindi magiging tayo. naiintindihan ko ang sitwasyon mo dahil hindi mo pa naranasang maging malaya. na kailangan mo munang maranasan ang iba ibang bagay sa ibang tao.

ayokong umiyak dahil ang ibig sabihin lang nun ay nilagyan ko na ng tuldok ang kung ano mang meron tayo. pero hindi ko maiwasang maisip na sayang dahil hindi ako ang taong nagbigay sa iyo ng tunay na kalayaan, bagkus ay nagparaya lang ako.

pero salamat at nagkaroon ng bagong kabuluhan ang buhay ko dahil sa mga nangyari."

everyone... repeat after me... EWWW!!! :-p

goodbye's the saddest word

i received some bad news from my mom. our pet, tanya, has passed away. she has been with us since I was in high school and has brought joy into our household. she has always been my dad's favorite pet whether he admits it or not. she's very sneaky and would steal food from our dining table when no one's looking. she's a neat freak, but always hated baths.

i'm just thankful that she passed away because of old age and not by some illness or accident. she will always be remembered and remain in our family's hearts forever.

farewell tanya.