Where did 2007 go?

Tried looking for it under my pillow but I just can't seem to find it. On to the last days of the year and here I am debating with myselves about 2007 events that seem to have gone by in a flurry. Did I miss out on a lot or did I have too much fun that time slipped without my knowing? Could be both.

I made a mental note not to excavate my 2007 resolutions because I can't remember what was said much less what was done. I have a very strong feeling that I failed miserably again and so to avoid the guilty feeling, I promised not to remind myself of the things I resolved to do at the beginning of the year.

And just like any promise, this, too had been broken.

Checking off the year that was, naturally starts with a review of the failed resolutions attempt. If I didn't accomplish them in the last year, now is the time to really get to it. Maybe recycling these things will finally convince me of keeping them. Right.

1. get healthy.
Let's not go here. Oh but for the fun of it I did badminton this year [for a week] and brisk walking [in heels when manning functions] and running [again when events call for it, in heels]. Those should count for something, right?

2. make more disciples. sana makapg GT ako sa arneow.

There was an attempt at doing that, at one of our church's programs. But we never got to meet. Mah bad.

3. learn more about God. have the mind of Christ. [this is really tough]

Thank God for friends of Thomas and Bible studies/ Prayer meetings that I get my spiritual nourishment but still, I have a loooong way to go. That's how it is naman diba?

4. sing in church, yehey!

Finally, something I really did. Too bad since the person who kept telling me to do this didn't see me do it the first time. But I have a pretty good feeling he got VIP passes where he was. :)

5. quit being mean. where do i begin?

This being scratched off doesn't count. Haha. I think I was even meaner this year.

Traditions and old habits die hard. I will keep making Xaris-olutions until I'm blue in the face, keep breaking them, try fulfilling them, what not.

1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before?
::  What did I do in 2007? Did I do anything is the question. *gasp* I seriously cannot think of anything to put here.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
:: I did not keep most of them, teehee, but that won't stop me from making more next year. Never did.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
:: Yes! My best friend Marie had a poging poging baby boy in August. Anton my love so sweet. :D

4. Did anyone close to you die?
:: I'd like to think he graduated. Tito Bob's with the Master already. Hurray for him. :)

5. What country did you visit?
:: Oh boo. I couldn't leave the country even if I wanted to. Read: no moolah.

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
::  A fan club with more than four members. :) Seriously.

7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
:: I'd rather not say.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
:: Gigging in Manila.

9. What was your biggest failure?
:: Weight loss. Hahaha. :D

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
:: Yeah, was out for a whole week with a bug.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
:: Shoes. Hahahaha. Always will be. If I buy a house the same time I'd buy shoes, the latter would be the best thing.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
:: Mine. Hahaha.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and disappointed?
:: Vanessa Hudgens. I'm so babaw noh?

14. Where did most of your money go?
:: SHOES and coffee.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
:: baguio trips. always, always excites me.

16. What songS will always remind you of 2007?
:: So Close. *swoon*

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
:: alway happier. :)

ii. thinner or fatter?
:: fatter. hahaha. with no qualms. awe yeah.

iii. richer or poorer?
:: richer because i have my own money and poorer for the same reason.

20. What do you wish you'd done more of?
:: I wish I'd have done more hosting, I love it.

21. What do you wish you'd done less of?
:: Procrastinating, year in and year out.

22. Did you fall in love in 2007?
:: No. In that sense. But yes with Disney.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
:: Hannah Montana!

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
:: I hate the same people year in, year out.

26. What was the best book you read?
:: It's Not About Me, Max Lucado

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
:: that I want to sing for Disney. :)

28. What did you want and got?
:: It surprises me that I even get everything I want. Grace. Yeah!

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
:: Enchanted. :)

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
:: Spent the day with my college best friend, Jean. Turned 22.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
:: Chocolate. Teehee.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
:: I wore a uniform, how do I start describing it?

34. What kept you sane?
:: Wash days. :) and Disney Channel. and YM.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
:: Zac Efron. :)

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
:: Erap's Pardon. I just wish that them peephole will suffer more than lupus.

37. Who did you miss?
:: Tito Bob.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
:: I guess everyone I met is okay.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007:
:: Ooh profound. God is good. ALL THE TIME. :D

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
:: So close to reaching that famous happy end... Look how far we've come. So far, we are so close.

weirdness is genetic

these are some of the pictures we took for Christmas.
we had one by the Christmas tree in my tito's place [we had to 'borrow' a tree from them for a photo op, haha] but i don't have access to it yet.
happy CHRISTmas peephole!
x)

Oh You Sing it to Me

You know Christmas is coming near when the local radio stations blare all-too familiar holiday songs as early as September. Only a week before the day and be sure to have LSS's with merry, bells, yuletide, seasons, snow, manger in the lyrics.

Christmas songs are my all time favorite treat this season aside from well, holiday ham and noche buena. It gives me an instant high when I hear songs about the holidays done in charming ways. Yes, there are charming ways.

I am also amused by the not-so charming carol situations when kids would ring our doorbell as if we did not hear it the first time and scream the lyrics of traditional Pinoy carols. Always without fail, their lyrics would all be screwed and end with a flourishing we wis you a merry krismas and a hapi new year namamasko po, done in one breath.

I tell my parents never to give them money until Christmas eve and Christmas day so they won't keep coming back. They always come back, though. And even if they don't, I can hear their carols a mile away with their high pitched rendition of dyingle bells.

As a kid, I never went around the neighborhood to wow them with my singing prowess and correct lyrics. If I had, I think I'd be a superstar by now. Harhar.

When I was in Baguio, I looked forward to the ber months because then I get the license to sing ang pasko ay sumapit at random moments. I did not join any singing groups when I was in school and I guess I felt bad about not being able to sing Christmas Carols- the thing I hearts so much- with a group to a larger group. Good thing my Breha floor mates never shut me up when I sing down the halls. Even during siesta and silence hours.

My favorite Christmas songs include Let it Snow [for the memory-value attached to it], Christmas Song [because I never get to sing it], Even Santa Fell in Love [I'm cheesy like that], Ang Pasko ay Sumapit [hindi ko pa rin memorize to], and Joy to the World [one of the hymns I enjoy singing]. I can name a few more but I'm too lazy to recall.

There are no carolers tonight where I am. Maybe I'll shake my coin purse and sing to myself. That definitely beats counting all the light bulbs in sight. Happy Caroling peephole! :D

The Saddest Tail [ah?]

I can't remember ever successfully keeping a pet. We had a big dog when I was a kid and his name was Butch. He seemed like a horse then, when I was about three-feet old. I remember him clearly because he's one of my childhhood trauma moments. When he was around, I'd run to my lolo and hide behind him while he shooed Butch away. He never got near me but he sure scared the hell out of me.

Then there was Puppet, she was an askal my parents picked on the road [I think]. We lived in Pasig then where I actually had neighbors to play with so I never paid much attention to her. One day she gave birth to cute puppies and I got to pick the cutest of the bunch. I swear mine was the cutest, I think I called it Brownie [yes, I was a very creative kid, harhar]. I'd sneak at night to check how Brownie was doing and when she seemed okay, I'd go back to bed. The most tragic thing in all my six years of living happened when i came home from school and found out that my puppy was dognapped. Of all the puppies to be taken by whoever heartless moron that was, he had to pick that of a cute pre-schooler who looked forward to coming home to Brownie.

When Puppet died, she was survived by the lone tough pup from her litter who was also named Puppet. My brother is pretty creative, too. That was his dog by the way. I can't recall how exactly we lost Puppet except that he was probably taken by the same dognapper who took my dog.

Seeing that my old neighborhood is not the grandest place to raise bright children and domesticated animals, my parents moved us back to  Quezon City with my grandparents. There was a no-dog policy in that house so we didn't get to have any more pets. Until one day, my tita's pastor gave us Burbur /ber-ber/ to keep while their house was being renovated. Lola conceded because she was overpowered by her children and their children so she allowed us to keep the dogsie for a while. Burbur is a cross-breed of a something and something else. He had blue-gray eyes and thick fur. When it was time for him to go, we were the saddest kids on the planet.

We recover pretty fast though. Our next attempt at pet-keeping was when we took care of a fortune lobster. We named him Sebastian. My little sister is scared of the claw things so when Sebastian molted, I took his old shell and paraded it in front of her until she cried, no wailed, while I laughed my head off. Lolo scolded me all day.

Lobsters don't live long so we were back to being pet-less save for the fishies, kois and others, from my lolo's small pond. It's not fun playing with fish. They're the most boring playmates ever. What I'd do is get the net and scoop out all the kois and watch them suffer out of the water. But I put them back in the water immediately when a) they had sufferred enough or b) when Lolo/Lola/ Yaya Carmen caught me. In fairness to me, I give them their feeds religiously every morning before I went to school.

The last pet story I could recall was a hamster named Kenan. We took good care of him because he was my sister's class project. I think it was I who held him last before the he died. Cause of death would have to be a rat factor, a cat factor or negligence. Tough to say really. Oh, but I cried when he died because I was attached to that critter more than anyone from my sister's class.

I'm thinking of getting a Siberian Husky when I move out of the house [the no-dog policy is still ongoing after a decade and a half]. And I promise I won't give him a stupid name or torture him or let him go to the dognappers. If only I can get someone to trust me with pets. Harhar.

what's my age again? *long story*

Last Friday, I was stuck all day at the Araneta Coliseum "manning" the set up for that night's Christmas party. I wasn't really doing anything much except people-watch and crave for a mocha latte in the nearby Starbuko. Of course, I couldn't get my coffee because I had to pretend I was actually doing something important. If the banquet managers caught me lollygagging, I'd be dead before I get to see the program. I won't allow that because I knew there would be celebs [apart from me] that night.

So while the set up was being done, I checked out the schedule for Disney on Ice as I have decided earlier on [with childlike squeals and ohmigawrsh-im-so-going-to-see-that] that I will secure tickets at the soonest possible time. I immediately went inside the arena and picked a seat in the patron area and practiced cheering for imaginary ice-skaters dressed in colorful and whimsical costumes. My officemates wondered what I was doing and when I explained I was prepping for a January show, they shot me amused and weirded out looks. I seem to be getting that all the time.

Needless to say, I am prepping for Disney on Ice because, hello, it's Disney, I'm Xaris, do the math. I hurriedly reserved a ticket online and I am eagerly waiting for a confirmation. Like I have so much money to burn, tchh.

It's the nearest I'm going to get to Mickey Mouse until HK Disneyland [yun na muna, poorita pa 'ko eh]. And yes, I love watching figure skating what with all the drama of their movements plus their frilly costumes.

Going back to my Araneta experience, when I had successfully made sure that my assignment was done, I went inside the main hall to see what was happening. There was an ongoing show hosted by Edu Manzano and Tuesday Vargas. Like any show, there was an opening, a middle and an end.

The middle came as a good surprise because... brace yourself for a revelation of my deepest, darkest secret number two... Jolina Magdangal performed on stage! I absolutely love her so I elbowed my way to the backstage armed with my camera and a teary fangirl look [that always gets celebrities like us, haha]. When she was barely a feet away from me, I chickened out of a photo op because she was just there, thisclose to me and suddenly I felt like I had to give her space. She went away and all I could do was stand there and wave goodbye. As soon as I realized that I let a good opportunity pass, I cried. Yes, with all the manong bodyguards and PA men, I stood there, clutching my friend's hands and sniffling like a kid whose balloon just got popped. Helpless was the word. I was ushered out by my friend to go back to our post and I was sooo upset that I just looked at Mr. Edu Manzano when we passed by him, my eyes still brimming with tears. And then I stopped and realized, si edu yon! si edu yon! so I ran back to say hi but he was already busy with a call. I decided that wasn't my night; I wouldn't hobnob with the celebs [apart from me] and I had better be doing my job.

Eventually, I felt better and resigned to the idea that the fates were ganging up on me so I let it all pass. And then came the announcement that The Dawn was next on stage. Did I hear that right? The Dawn, here, here in the same place I was, getting ready. To. Play. Onstage. Here. Tonight. This instant. Shoot.

I might have beaten the Flash by how fast I made my way from the Upper Box to the stage area. I cannot let this pass. I can't. So while this awesome band was performing, I bounded up and down singing [screaming was more like it] along to the songs they performed.

To make up for my darkest deepest secret divulgence [did I use this correctly?] I am keeping to myself the almost stalker-ish thing I did that night. Good thing the waiters were there or I'd have done the deed, whatever that was.

The End. The end was wow. When The Dawn was done performing, I was just coming out of the prep area heading to where all my officemates were. And lo and behold, emerging from the shadows was my peyborit Francis Reyes! When I see my peyborit celebs [aside from me] I panic and freeze [what people would call starstruck] and go brain dead. Miraculously at that time, I was able to think fast and blocked his way and offered a dilly bar.

me: hey you want ice cream?
francis: [where did she come from?]hmmm, yeah, sure.
me: here! ooh can i have my picture taken with you?
francis: okay.
me: i read your blog and you're my friend on facebook *cheese*
francis: really, what's your name?
me: xaris with an x.

And the rest was a blur. It was short but meh, that was me talking to the Francis Brew Reyes. It didn't matter how shortlived my giddiness was. Oh, the picture? It wasn't stored.

Gee. Tengs.

pasko na naman!

my family is celebrating christmas a little differently this year. first off, we ditched the yuletide decors except for our occasional holiday pillow covers. we did not put up lights in the garden or in the palawan cherry blossom tree or in the balcony. and we thought better than to hang our annual christmas angels on the third floor and the parol on the second.

it's not that we are being the neighborhood scrooges [although that would be a good identity, hmmm] this time of the year but we thought it a good idea to scrimp on the bling and splurge on giving instead. so all the moolah we save from decorations and electricity will be given to the church to expand the work of the Lord.

i think i speak on behalf of my family when i say that the true meaning of Christmas is not/should not be confined in just a day or a month-long celebration marked by lights and mistletoe and trees. the babe in the manger should be celebrated all year round and i suppose we have pretty much covered that essence. everyday is christmas because the baby that was born on christmas day still lives.

::::::: (",) :::::::

on january this year, our church launched the building block project. we aim to raise funds for our new building to go with our acquired lot.

>> these boxes were empty that time.

we broke the bank a while back and weighed the boxes, had a guessing game for the amount, counted all those bills and coins and came up with a whopping P110,000+ [i lost the actual count; i mentally breakdown when numbers are involved].

and now, tada, through God's grace we were all smelling like coins and bills. i vaguely remember a Bible story when i was a kid about how the Israelites contributed in the temple treasury for the building of a grand temple. i think that was in Joash's time. the clinks and tinks were enough to send good kinds of shivers all over me knowing that little by little, we are going to get our very own place of worship in God's promised land.



>> this could very well be the first floor of our building. or maybe the right wing of the children's sunday school. or the pastor's office. or the gym floor. but that is another storey. hahaha.

from coins clinking, the sound i want to hear next is jackhammers, erm, hammering and heavy machineries digging through the very foundation of the new Sampaloc Bible Church. until then, until then. :D

photos nicked from potjenipot.multiply.com.  thanks. :D

cheer bear

guess who dunnit. awe yeah. hello 2008 starbucks planner.

well, technically, it was paris who went gaga over coffee.

but it was such a proud moment for me, too. i have never in my life tried collecting all the stickers for an over rated planner because i liked being different [hello, if everyone wants it, i don't]. anyhoo, this one isn't for me but it felt so good when the barista stuck the last sticker marking the 24th slot on my card. if i were not groggy from the subic trip, i would have cried while signing the sparkhope card, seeing that in my little way, i am giving joy to the children who will benefit from the project.

and yes, i'm way past my november 30 deadline but it's so much fun drinking coffee with the right intervals. i hope my officemate will enjoy her planner as much as i did splurging on coffee. oh yeah.

next on my list is the coffee bean and tea leaf's 2008 planner. i will give it to whoever wants it.

downside is... i now look like this from coffee overdose...

 

and i might have spent too much than i bargained for. ehrm. but it's kaffee, so no big.

::::::: (",) :::::::

all i want for christmas [aside from my gift list] is to spread love and joy. chos. pero that's true. as much as i can, i'd love to give hugs to people who seem like they need it. material presents can only go so far so i decided to give my time and effort to the happy takers on my gift list [and fiiine, i might have spent all my money on coffee but that's not the point]. i'd like to think i'm doing great. of course, i've recovered from the holiday bug so i don't really carry communicable germs and stuff. i also call my friends and greet them in advance just so they can feel christmas a little early this year. what with all the grown-up things they have to accomplish, the least i can do is remind them that they are thought of and loved.

because i know i am. Jesus loves me, this i know. siya naman pasimuno ng pasko eh. kaya all good lang.

happy holidays peephole!

dreamboy

as much as i'd like to pretend i lead a cool grown-up life and that i have matured, i simply can't fool myself. i can't and i won't.

 
i'm a sheep. i'm a twelve-year-old crushing sheep.

seriously, you have got to watch kim possible so you can relate to that line. tchhh. doesn't that smile just make you want to swoon?

my *grown-up* friends think this is the lowest i can go on crushability 101. excuse me. i can go lower. hahaha. why do i like zac efron? like i need a reason.

come to think of it

this status change is unsettling.

meh, how do i get out?

spring has come!

i love today.

because the air finally feels a LOT like baguio's and it's sunny outside- the perfect blend of yellows, greens and blues.

i love manila.

because it's just as full of history as any other place. and heck, i was born here. i'm manilenya to the core.

i love you.

and i can't believe you don't know it.

ahahaha-ahahaha

because i gasp for air every time i laugh and i find it impossible to let out a hearty giggle, i blurt out a-ha-ha-ha *pause* a-ha-ha-ha just to show i'm amused. followed by a short wheeze and a throaty cough. i call that a coughter. feels good to annoy everyone with my newfound way of laughing. a-ha-ha-ha. it's soooo annoying, i'm annoying myself even as i tell you about it.

so. i am still sick. and it's getting ridiculous by the minute.

this is what i have been doing in the last six days. wake up at 7am, call in sick, get up two hours later and go online. listen to jam 88.3's the edge with jamaica, pester her at work. check the company mail and endorse inquiries to the agents. prepare brunch and turn on the TV at exactly 12 noon. channel surf a bit, put out the sauna bed and steam off while watching inane tagalog movies. gulp down munchables so i can take in meds. wonder why the dvd player is not cooperating and thank God for cable. take in more meds. pull out tissue and compare phlegmatic colors [haha, yuck, i know] and tell the doctor it's turned from green to pink. down more cough syrup. try to sleep. read a book. repeat cycle starting from the channel surfing gig.

surprisingly, i have not lost weight [grah] because i hafta to take in *tasteless* fewd so i can take antibiotics. and didju know that the salty taste is heightened when your system is down? or was it just me? i swear everything i ate was sobrang alat. kahit juice maalat. a-ha-ha-ha *pause* a-ha-ha-ha. *wheeze**choke*

i think i'm gonna cry now. i can't take this coughter anymore.

december's cold

being stuck at home, battling phlegm and boredom in the last five days, has been rewarding. not.

i am not getting better, why is that? i might have memorized the tv schedule for disney channel but what good would that do? for the first time in my whiny life, i wanted to get back to work. at least i have better things to do there. but oh, i am thankful for the rest. i just wish i'd stop coughing my lungs out because my chest and abdominal muscles are too strained. meh, i'm even losing my voice. i'm as hoarse as santa's open sleigh. hahaha. ang corny nun.

[it could be the cough syrup overdose, mind you]

five tissue rolls later, i still have abnormally runny nasal passages, which amazingly only happens between 6am and 3pm. after these times, i get dry cough and a still nose and then i feel better until 6am the following day when i sound like a wheezing pirate.

the only thing that perks me up is seeing this when i wake up.

*swoon* jimmy *swoon*

that and waking up from an afternoon nap drenched in christmas lights. something tells me this is all the break i'm going to have this season. and that works perfectly fine for me. i do hope i get well. i have some serious shopping to do.

:::::::: (",) ::::::::

last year, i got EVERYTHING i wanted for Christmas because there were only two items on my list. so this time, ima make a smashing list that's going to be ambitious, twelve-year-old-ish and inane inane inane to the highest level!

okay, hitlist number one: a high school musical 2 dvd! it's got all the coolest features ever with hidden never-before-seen sequences [the humahumanukanukaapuaa song! yeahhh!] plus more zacness and all around disney goodness.

number dos: a happyslip dvd.

number tatlo: a new make up kit. as smashing as smashing can get.

number nhet: that island princess barbie doll i've been meaning to get forever. OR those uno cards that have barbie features.

number payb: a bouquet of stargazers. nyahahahaha.

yey. i can't think of anything more. i have twenny days to think. i wonder what i'm getting/making my friends this year. i'll prolly go buy because i didn't have time to make projects earlier. we'll see, we'll see.

happy PIE day!

well, she's stephanie now. or steph. or whatever the grown-ups call her. a rose by any other name, i guess.

my charming superfriend is sparkling more and more, behaving and trying to be good. beats me why since she's the nicest person i know. she's not pretentious and she sincerely has the good-person vibes all about her. [i am sooo getting paid for this, nyahahaha]

her strength of character makes her even more stunning than her already eye-catching looks [the eyes pa lang man, the eyes!] and her faith brings about a certain glow of bliss and contentment.

before i get any hallmark-y than i intend to get, i wish pie all the great things she's meant to do. whether she believes it or not, she has all she needs to jump start the dreams that are meant to come true.

i want to write more things but my head colds are getting the better of me. it could also be karma for all the mean things i did, whatever.

happy twenny second piesee! you'll always be my best chow-buddy, would-have-been-cousin-in-law [anudaw, haha], cellphone battery provider, camwhore pal, baguio tripping tropa and stalk-mate. blessings be. i so hearteth thee like whoa. meh, alam mo na yan.

sige na nga, dahil birthday mo naman, ikaw na favorite ni jawo.


 happy happy    birthday stephanie ann. x)

december colds

i'm too sick [literally] to comment on the weekend brouhaha that was. fortunately the common cold is curable. i just wish i could say the same for this country's state.