Of best friends, saying goodbye and welcoming another one back

Indeed, life is a wheel that goes on and on. Sometimes, we say goodbye to people we love, but if they are meant to be in our lives, they eventually stumble back in. 

Des is leaving for Melbourne next Tuesday. While I'm saddened that I will soon lose one of the besties within the Inner Circle, I'm also excited to have someone back again. 

VERY EXCITED!!! 

Ate Eve is coming back to Manila for a new gig. Whilst we will be on the opposite site of the fence, it doesn't matter. I'm getting one of my best friends back. That, to me, is what matters.  

Ate Eve is one of my crutches during my Jakarta stint. She was my sounding board, my weekend salon and shopping soulmate even before the Malaysia Boys came into both our lives. 

Although we kept in touch very regularly despite the distance, being near each other still mattered. 

And now, we're back together. IN THE SAME CITY!!! STARTING TOMORROW!!! 

*dance of joy* 

Here's to more adventures together. And cheers to good ol' friendships! 

  

There are days

There are days when you cannot let a tiny infraction slip. 

There are days when you hear someone say something and you just want to lash back at the person.

On most days, things are fine and dandy, but there are just days when your patience is only a thread left before it breaks. 

In moments and days like this, I try to sit in one corner and wait it out until things get better. 

Today, I'm sitting it out. 

With Godiva dark chocolates, hoping that the sugar rush will perk me back up. 

On taking the high road

Why self-reflection is needed every now and then: Sometimes we see the speck of dust on someone else's face without seeing our own. We demand respect from others when we don't know how to give it. We ask people to be gentle but we cannot control our own temper. We implore others to be humble but we do not go down on our own high horses.

Love begets love. Respect begets respect. These transcend the boundaries of age and manners.

Self reflection means doing it first to others before expecting others to do it unto us.

The high road to this is doing it first, without expecting others to do the same, and forgiving others when they ever forget.

Today, I'm choosing the high road.

Tulog lang ang katapat

I've been feeling under the weather for the past few weeks. I had allergies that won't seem to budge, my cough was incessant and I lost my voice for a good 3 weeks. 

I didn't feel tired. I was running around talking to suppliers and meeting up with our wedding coordinator. I just wanted to get a lot of things done before the big day. My internal target is I'll be just sitting pretty on the week of the wedding. I don't want to be running around like a headless chicken trying to check items on my list on the last minute. I definitely don't want that kind of stress! 

Admittedly, I've been losing sleep since I needed to wake up at 4:30 am in some days just to drive out to Tagaytay to meet suppliers and do my fitting. 

I guess the lack of sleep took its toll. 

This weekend, I decided to lay low a little bit. I still ran my errands but wasn't too gung ho about it. I managed to tick off items on my list but I slept when I felt like it. 

Saturday night was spent reading a book and sleeping in. Sunday afternoon, I allowed myself a long nap after our usual family lunch in my apartment. 

Today, I feel like a million bucks! 

Nothing that a good sleep can't fix. 

This week, I won't deprive myself of the Zzzzs. I'll definitely try to iron out more kinks but sleep will be an ultimate priority. =)   

Saying goodbye to people

It's a sad day. 

A young colleague passed away today. He succumbed to cancer just an hour ago. 

When I saw the posts on Facebook in December that he was in the middle of the battle, I found myself silently praying for his recovery. While alone in my car, while walking the hallways of the office, I muttered short prayers to myself for his healing. 

We're not even close. When I was still in Indonesia, I was surprised that he added me on Facebook. I just added him because I saw that we had a closely-knit social network. 

Until I came back to Manila and to my company. We became teammates. We were on a hi-hello chica basis, but he always had a positive aura. He was a good young man. Faithful, God-loving.

He was a pioneer in the blogging space, introducing video blogs in the Philippines. 

Ang gaan niya katrabaho. 

I was silently praying that he wins this battle. I told God we needed good people like him around, to rub off more goodness and faith unto others. 

I guess God had other plans. 

I don't know why I'm greatly affected when we're not even close friends. 

Truth be told, I'm on the verge of tears while writing this blog entry. 

Nasasayangan ako sa isang mabuting tao. 

Admittedly, he fought the great fight.

Coy, you will be missed. Thank you for the courage, for the inspiration, for your contribution to social media. 

May you rest in peace.

When God sends his army of angels

I'm living proof.

When you need help, God will send his army of angels for support. 

I've been very fortunate to come across people who also talk and walk the faith. They're making this entire journey easier for me. 

I've got tons of things to do and organize and every step of the way, I meet people who can either help me with what I need or point me to someone who can. 

It's really all in His time. 

=) 

NKKLK!!!

To the ones who are not used to beckie speak, that reads as NAKAKALOKA! Hahaha. 

I definitely opened 2014 with a big loud bang in the office. 

Normally, people suffer from post-holiday blues after Christmas. 

Not me. 

I hit the ground running. 

My schedule is full to the brim. 

I made sure I had 1:1 sessions with my one-downs to ensure they know what they're supposed to do and what to deliver in the first quarter of 2014. 

On top of all these, I'm doing project management work for THE BIG EVENT. I hired a full-time coordinator for this, but being the OC me, I need to be on top of things. 

Keep calm, keep calm. I keep on reminding myself. 

At the end of each day, though, I feel an overwhelming sense of pride and fulfillment, knowing that I have been productive. 

Sulit ang bawat araw. 

*feeling fulfilled*

 

Day 1 in the office

Despite my anti-coding sticker, I am here in the office by 7:20am. I wanted to be early to catch up on my to-do list and schedule meetings in advance. 

I have an LSS running through my head, thanks to Brother Bo's message at the church service yesterday: 

"Something good is going to happen to you
Happen to you this very day.
Something good is going to happen to you
Jesus of Nazareth is passing your way."

I definitely feel it. 

The best is yet to come. 

I'm claiming you, 2014!  

Life's simple blessings should not be taken for granted

...because the simple graces that we tend to overlook are actually the best ones. 

I love my quiet mornings, just like what I am having right now. I know I can never reclaim my quiet mornings once Abby really moves in with us and if we ever have one child of our own.

I love the smell of my Cambodian hazelnut coffee and the sound of my sputtering coffee maker. 

Mix that with the smell of my vanilla candles and incense. TOTAL BLISS. 


I love that I can call back home to check on my Mom and just talk to her.

I love that I can choose to be lazy on a Saturday morning, tucked in between my soft, lavander-smelling sheets or I can decide to put on my kicks and hit the gym. 

Today, I have a TON of work for our wedding preps, but I chose to be zen for a little while longer this morning. It's a simple reward for being efficient and productive yesterday. 

Before I hit my Excel sheets and style guides again, I wanted to be silent, to write and to be grateful for this morning. 

Time and silence are both gifts we take for granted. 

I'm grateful to have them this morning. 

Thank you. 
 

Day 3: Errands here and there

Day 3 of 2014: I'm back in Manila. 

This entire day will be spent running errands and ticking off my to-do list for the wedding. The list is still a long one. 

I committed to be Zen about it, as this year, I promised to reduce stress and remove garbage in my life. 

Yes, back to basics. Back to the rudimentary, but the very important aspects of my life. 

Balance, among many other things. 

Game on, 2014! 

Let's make music together! 

Of airports and planes

I think I've blogged about it already before, but the way I feel about airports remains the same. 

I feel melancholic whenever I'm in airports. 

It means a state of transition and change for me. 

Although I'm always excited of changes, I also feel sad about leaving. 

I had a great time in Malaysia this time around --- probably one of the best trips that I've ever taken in the country.

Things around here are not new to me anymore. What made it great are the people in here who welcomed me back with open arms. 

And Skye --- who always has my best interest at the forefront. 

Blessed and grateful, as always. 

=) 

A few hours and I'm back in Manila! I can't wait to start running our wedding errands! 

Day 1 of 2014

New Year's Eve was spent at the Mandarin Oriental beside KLCC Tower so we can witness the fireworks up close. 

It was a quiet celebration --- cocktails, buffet dinner, fireworks display and a champagne toast by midnight with Skye's family. 

Today, Skye and I had dimsum for lunch, ran errands, bought his 3rd pair of Onitsuka shoes as my New Year's gift and bought his clothes to be brought back to Manila. 

We had a long nap in the afternoon, woken up by his Dad for a taco feast dinner. 

The entire night was spent at home, planning our wedding and ironing out more details together. 

Definitely a good start for day 1. 

Moving up and moving forward, 2014! 

The best is yet to come

Heavenly Father, 

Thank you for all your wonderful blessings and graces. You have blessed me with so much more than what I deserve. 

You've done it again. You made me believe that all I have to do is to have faith in You and You alone. 

My life in 2013 has been a testament of Your miracles, as the miracles happened in my life itself. 

Thank You for your gifts, Your unconditional love. 

Thank You for saving me. 

The best part is your promise that the best is yet to come. 

Allow me, my husband, my familly, my friends and all the people that I love to continue to be a witness of Your benevolence this coming 2014. Please continue to shower us with your blessings and graces. 

I offer my 2014 to You. May I do good things to others in Your name. 

Thank you, Lord. 

Happy New Year. Please continue to be with me in the coming years. 

In Jesus Christ's name. Amen. 

Jeremiah 29:11

Last Friday of 2014

Today is the last Friday of 2014. 

My morning was spent with my Yayay Cita packing for my Malaysia trip tomorrow. I am so helpless without her. 

This afternoon, I went to the office to complete some of my paperwork and presentation deck. I'm not planning to bring my lappy so better do everything TODAY! 

It's  been very quiet in the office --- as in reeeaaaally quiet. I'm not used to it. 

At any rate, despite the lack of thorough review of what I've done this year and how I fared in my bucket list, I actually think I did quite well. 

God has been very generous. I have been very blessed. 

Off to more paperwork before I finally enjoy my holiday break. 

RnR. Finally!!!

I've got a feeling...

...that I will reach almost all my personal targets this year. 

AYLOVETTE!!! 

I haven't gone through my list one by one yet, but I think I did well. 

=) 

Of Christmas traditions and comfort zones

I'm pretty much flexible and I go with the flow. I can make the best of bad situations.  I can appreciate the simple things in life. When I'm happy, I'm really giddy-happy.

Admittedly though, no matter how flexible and adaptable I am, I do have comfort zones.

Amidst the sea of change, I take comfort in classic traditions. In the same people I see, I talk to, I go to for the really important things. 

Every year, every 25th of December, our high school circle gets together for our Christmas dinner. It started in 1994 and it hasn't been broken ever since. 

1 more year to go and it's gonna be 2 decades of this long-running tradition. Our expats go home for this. I was looking forward to it myself when I was still in Indonesia. 

I'm just glad that some things don't change. And I hope they won't anytime soon. 

This is one of my favorite traditions of all time. =) 

Christmas morning

Christmas mornings are THE BEST!!!

I can wake up late. 

I wake up with my entire family in the house. As soon as I enter the living room, I smell the waft of piping hot chocolate and Mom's classic spaghetti meat sauce being warmed on the kitchen stove. 

The entire house is just really crazy - Abbygale shouting, playing and running around, conversations among the oldies - my Mom, my Dad and Yayay Cita. 

One word to describe everything: BLISS. 

The holiday season used to make me sad. 

Not anymore. 

I have no reason to be. 

JC has blessed me so much. There's just so many things to be thankful for. 

My family. Skye. My friends. My career. Everything in my life just fits all perfectly for me. 

Today, it's JC's birthday. Ironically, He's the one who gave me a plenitude of gifts. 

Christmas. 

I now love Christmas. =) 

Premium on friendships: Part 2

And so you called me this morning, insistently asking if we could see each other over the holidays. 

I can sense this is your way of making it up. 

You ask me to go with you to get your barongs custom-made. 

You evade the topic of radio silence for 2 months and pretend like nothing happened. 

Dork. 

But fine. 

Since you are one of my friends and it's Christmas, I will let this one slide. 

But do this again...do it one more time...

You're really gonna be off the friendship list. 

Merry Christmas, Alpha One. 

Big Dreams

I have big dreams for other people. 

I have big dreams for my family. 

I have bigger dreams for Abby. 

Yesterday, I was with Abby the entire day. She had such a great time choosing her Hello Kitty Christmas gifts. 

She told me that her dream is to have her own bedroom filled with Hello Kitty stuff. Hello Kitty pillows and bed cover, Hello Kitty lamps, boxes, toiletries. Hello Kitty everything! 

I do want that for her. 

Early next year (which is just a matter of days), I will look for a new school for her already. I definitely want to enroll her in a better school. It's never too early to prepare her for university. 

And I want her to go to MY University. 

Big dreams. 

I need all of the Universe's conspiracy for this. 

Loooooong albeit pleasant Sunday

It's past 1am but my day just ended. I'm ending it with a glass of wine (or two) while reading my last book for the year. 

Today is epic. 

It's been a looooooong day of errands in preparation for Christmas.

Whatta Sunday! 

It is a blessed one, though. Amidst the frenzy was a good quality time with la familia. 

Family trumps all else. 

I'm definitely loving this season. =)