2005 here we come...

I’ve given up on making New Year’s resolutions a looooooong time ago. I always ended up not doing them anyway! So why bother??? Resolutions have an almost negative tone to it…to turn that around, I’ll come up with my GOALS for 2005. J Ain’t that more constructive? ;p

But first a review on some noteworthy moments of 2004:

1) Graduation day!!! Nothing can beat that historic day when I received my diploma and FINALLY got out of the friggin’ university…Sure the school taught me tons of values/lessons, helped me meet new friends, build my character, yadayadayada…but unfortunately, there still is something that ticks me off. But what the heck, I’m so outta there!
2) Working Girl. Yes, the end of student life was the beginning of life as corporate scum. On March 29, 2004, I officially became part of the working force. Of course, earning some dough for myself (I’m now a semi-self supporting woman. I still live under my parents’ roof. Duh. Mastipid yun!) and for the family (Naks! As the eldest daughter, kelangan din yun noh. It’s a “curse” you can’t escape)
3) Ze Most Expensive Gift. With my hard earned money, I got myself a loaded spanking Canon Ixus I 4-Mega Pixel digital camera. A dream come true for me! This compact digital beauty proved to be extremely useful not just for family and friends; but also for the office. Colleagues fondly coin it the Starcom camera.
4) G’day mate! After 10 long years, I was able to set my feet on foreign soil again. My last trip abroad was when I was in 6th grade, for an international swim meet in Hong Kong. I visited the Land Down Under, with all expenses paid by the company! Who would have imagined??? Although the trip was quite controversial (because only regular employees, who worked for a year or more, were SUPPOSEDLY the only ones who were entitled to the trip)…deadma na noh!!! I just thanked the Good Lord that the company gave us this wonderful opportunity.
5) Paradise found. Work also gave me the opportunity to visit Camiguin Island. The family always been lusting to visit that paradise, but it was just too expensive to bring the WHOLE family there (there are 8 of us remember…). It was again all expenses paid. Hehehehe!
6) Interesting accounts. Enough said. J
7) A Love that Grows. Ok…brace yourselves for the first mushy part of the program. Of course, I would never leave this part out ;p This year definitely had a LOT of kilig moments. I am just so thankful to God that our relationship has definitely grown. After 2.5 years (huwaw! Antagal na noh?), we have learned to accept and deal with each other’s quirks…and surprisingly, each one’s personality complements the other’s. As I’ve mentioned in the more recent entry, during our 2nd year anniversary, I’ve come up with 16 things to look forward to do together and half way through our 3rd year (the 2.5 year mark), we’ve already done (if I’m not mistaken) half of the things in the list. Duane just amazes me (in a very, very, very good way) as time flies. I’d say our relationship is a bottle of vintage wine, which gets better as it ages. Hayan…I’m rambling na..Hahahaha!

Now that I’ve seen how blessed 2004 was (Sa totoo lang ngayon ko lang nakita…when I was going thru the past year. It was a very, very good year indeed…Amen! J), I now move on to my GOALS for year 2005:

1) Settle accounts. Tapusin ang pagbayad sa camera!!! Yahooooo!!! Last month of payment this January :D
2) Save some MORE for the rainy day. After paying for the camera (of course!), I’d be setting aside more funds for the future (apart from the pension plan that I have). Naks! You’ll never know when you (or your loved ones) would need some financial support.
3) Lazarus effect. I will help revive the slowly dying brand I am handling. As of the onset of 2005, I am now part of the San Miguel Pale Pilsen team. The nth brand change in my career, which started off as a hair care woman, to the home care lady, to the San Mig Light/Super Dry/Strong Ice babe, to the Gold Eagle Beer lass. Hopefully, this will be “permanent” (for the remainder of my 2 year contract…mwahahaha!). My goal is to move the brand up, somehow attempt to save it from drowning: contribute significant consumer insight which will provide a clear, long term strategic direction for marketing communications and increase sales via hardworking volume generating media activities. A mouthful noh!!!
4) Be a Pleasantville Citizen. I will make an extra effort to be nice to EVERYONE and try to neutralize the natural asim in me, especially when I’m stressed out and in a shut-the-world-out mood. Hehehehehe! A bit mean but you will never know when you’d need them people in the future. Hindi naman mashadong user noh? Well, totoo naman in all fairness ha. Di ba dibs? Whether it be mentally (huwat??? Este career wise baga), emotionally, spiritually, and (hope not anytime soon!) financially…
5) Send a Child to School. Well, at least my siblings anyway (there will still be 5 of them students!). I will contribute to their schooling in any of the ff: tuition fees, daily allowance, school supplies, etc etc.
6) Diana, diet diet diet. I gained weight the last 2 months. Sarap kc kumain! I can’t help it. Pero sana pumayat pa ako. Back to my diet. Cross your fingers y’all! Hahahaha! Tsaka exercise din pala. Kahit na daily crunches at weights pwede na. Basta regular mini-exercises. Hehehehe!
7) Fuel Brand Power. Nyahahaha! Fat chance! Aba, malay mo makapasok ang entry at manalo kme ng P 125,000 each ;p
8) You STILL take my breath away. I hope and pray that Duane and I maintain our steady but still very exciting relationship J Of course, with all the lessons I’ve learned from 2004, I pray that I’d be more mature in dealing with and handling situations in the relationship…together with him, syempre. Especially when it comes to the infamous concern of time. Wehehehe! And anyway, the first half of 2005 will be Duane’s last months with YFC. Hence, more time for me??? Maybe. Maybe not. We still have yet to see… J Looking forward to the many challenges because, in the end, we both know that these will make us better persons and build a stronger, healthier relationship. Naks!
9) YOU light up my Life. Let us not forget the Good Good Lord who has helped me through everything. Hope that our ties would not be cut despite the lack of a community. (hindi kc ako active sa SFC e...sorry pero hindi pa e!)

So that's about it. Just pray and hope for the best (AND expect the worst!) for the year to come :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!!!