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Quitting my corporate graveyard work after three years. In retrospect, I still can’t wrap my mind around how I managed to stay that long in the night shift. I started wanting to jump out the window almost every shift and I ended up three years later, still intact, with a huge bouquet and a wish-you-luck card with the best and sincere intentions. I’ve learned and earned a lot, met truly awesome people and created bonds of, hopefully, lasting friendship with the help of social networking.
Finding a new job in a new company. I’m still reeling from culture shock. Coming from a, um, highly volatile environment, this place looks sedated. It’s like coming to a gentle halt in a calm little pond after battling the expansive white water rapids. I came to that conclusion after that impromptu party I was slightly aware of. Where I come from, the mood and energy is to such an extreme until lunch time, you’d think they just had full night’s sleep. Nobody would guess these people have already been awake for 15 hours and just came from an eight to 10-hour shift.
Being an online content writer. I was looking for something worthwhile to keep me preoccupied in between jobs so I landed in this freelance gig. Four months later, I’m still doing it even if I already have a full time work. On top of the freedom and flexibility, it gives me an excuse to read about everything, I mean everything, and earning a little while I’m at it. Goes to show that even if you really like what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter how much you get paid. Besides, I’m also enjoying the online community.
Best Movie: Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn. Waiting one and a half years for this was worth it, even if I’m probably one in 50 people who are even vaguely familiar with these comics/cartoons. It’s like an animated 3D Indiana Jones, a comparison given in a gracious positive light. Nobody can pull off those adventure chase sequences as effectively as Spielberg, and with Peter Jackson by his side, this movie can almost do no wrong. It definitely gets my vote as the best animated movie of the year for the Oscars. Runner up: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2. It fell a little short of being an epic finale, but it still offered a satisfying closure for hardcore and casual fans alike. Honorable mention: Captain America, because it exceeded my expectations and of course, Chris Evans.
Best TV Series: Community. I have fallen head over heels over this comedy series so much, I wanna marry it. Although it lapses with some obscure pop culture references and a highbrow wit that tends to smarter than its own good, I can watch some episodes over and over and still laugh over and over. Jeff, Abed, Britta, Annie, Shirley, Troy and Pierce, I would all miss you if NBC really decides to pull the plug. A very close runner up: Parks & Recreation. Ben & Leslie is my new Chuck & Sarah, only dorkier. With hilarious noteworthy one-liners and its own dose of dramedy moments courtesy of their likable cast, it can give Modern Family a run for its awards landslide.
Best Song: 4-Letter Word. It’s the most overplayed song in my iPod, and also the most maligned song in the fandom from the new album. I find it catchy. Honestly, I can’t keep track of new songs as much as I did. Runner up: Nothing by The Script.
Best Book: The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. This is the first time I have loved and waited for a book series this much ever since Harry Potter. I got so hooked to the story that read nothing but Jim Butcher for the first quarter of the year. The nerdy sense of humor and the occasional pop culture references are right up my alley. I’m exercising utmost restraint not to read Side Jobs or Ghost Story on ebook. I really want to read them all on the classic dead tree version. Let’s see how long I can hold.
Best Sports Teams: Azkals. Not a fan of any sports in general. No matter how hyped the NBA finals or next Pacquaio match gets, I never did get much into it. Then the Azkals came into the picture. Maybe it’s their faces or their undeniable likability, I’m actually youtubing [sic] football videos just to understand what an offside is. Plans for 2012 include watching more football games live as much as possible. It pays to be just a walking distance from the venue.
Best Purchase: My new HP Laptop. Still crossing fingers I made the right decision.
Best Travel: Las Casas in Bataan. Although the weather was against our favor for that weekend, it never dampened the vintage and historic charm of the place. I really admire the dedication and hard work they did for restoring all those houses. I plan to return when the weather’s bright and sunnier so I can take way better pictures. Runner up: The Ilocos Road Trip. First time I ever travelled that far with my big jolly adventurous family.
Best Memory: David Beckham. Getting twitter replies from celebrities. Catching up with friends. The symbolic shutting down of my former work pc for the last time. Watching The Script live and getting drowned in the excitement of the crowd.
The bad ones: Sendong. Quiel. Pedring. Philippine politics. And that I only watched one concert for the year, a record low after four years. No out of town trips for Thanksgiving after five years.
Acknowledgements:
My ever growing and adorable family. My casework teammates, for making those crazy three years more wacky and bearable. Dreamteam forever. Friends from high school and college, especially my loyal blockmates, and to the official lawyers that I hesitate to joke around or else be served with libel. The PS TnC people who are still around and make time for a small talk every once in a while. You, just because I want you be to be happy. David Cook. Chris Greatwich, because he’s funny and seems sincerely nice. Neil Etheridge for being awesome. Joel McHale for inadvertently sending me a twitter direct message. And to my twitter followers who put up with the fangirling, football liveblogging, occasional emo ramblings and all the random drivel. Sorry, but I can’t promise to stop. I’ll try, but don’t expect any guarantee.
===2012 Plans===
- Pay off my credit card debt by the first quarter of the year.
- I need a bookshelf, a 50mm f/1.8 with AF (hopefully) and a new graphics tablet, Wacom preferably.
- Learn the piano/guitar, although I say that every year without really making an effort to do it. I either lack the time, money, inspiration or all of the above.
- Learn a new language, either French or Japanese.
- Travel more. Destinations include Avilon Zoo, Corregidor and Batanes.
- Increase my savings.
- Read more. Draw more. Blog more.
- Find a reasonable date before my brother’s wedding. Yes, seriously.
- I’ll add more if ever I think of anything else.
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Leave nothing to chance and everything behind. Onwards and upwards 2012, even if the world would come crashing down on December 21, 2012.
