Challenge accepted

From the phone: Last night's pizza party at home, sponsored by the twentysomethings to kickstart an adventure-filled week · K, gotta go. Wish me luck!!! :) · Interesting photo from work of the day: the corkboard at our pantry. Around the world map are post-its of did-you-knows. So far, my favorite: "Walt Disney was actually afraid of mice."
Today marks my first day at work and because I'm still at a high from it, here's something I've grown to love over the years, and especially now at my job—a list:

1. Waking up to my alarm at 5:30am, leaving the house by 7am, being at the office by 9am, leaving work at 6pm, arriving home a little past 8pm, and then having trouble sleeping... They told me wrong. This isn't like high school nor college. This is high school and college combined. And I love it!
2. In connection to #1, the long, gruesome commute from Las Piñas to Ortigas (tricycle, two jeepneys, train, and a fifteen-minute brisk walk) and back (said brisk walk, train, bus, jeepney, and tricycle).

Until next time, my kind of town

You probably know by now how in love I am with the US state capital: enough that a few minutes into my first visit I made a decision to live there one of these days (I now understand what people meant by love at first sight!); too much that I can't help but swoon at the mundane sight of the letters D and C being strung together (And it doesn't help that they follow each other in the alphabet!). So I guess it did not come as a surprise to Tita Inds and Tito Chris when they asked me what I wanted to do on my last weekend in the East Coast and all I could do was chant these two letters repeatedly.

Our other options seemed either less interesting (Baltimore area) or too far away (towns in Virginia) that District of Columbia ended up being the best destination for that Saturday. The night before our drive, they gave me the task of making an itinerary and I was caught in a momentary panic as the organization freak in me goes. Aware that there still were dozens of amusing places to see, I eventually got my cool and settled with the pocket-friendly yet worthy ones.

Hearts all over the world

Happy Valentine's Day to my lovely readers! How's your heart today? As for me, same old same old. Nothing special, really. Well, except for two things. First, I'm a song away from completing I love love: a 30-day Valentine playlist, a personal project I put up on Tumblr about a month ago to celebrate the season. Although I must admit I got sidetracked for a bit and had trouble choosing the songs to place there, I still found my efforts worth the trouble. Anything for music and for romance!

And second, I learned how to be in good terms with time and timing. What difference can a year make! Without having gone through a complete turn from last February 14th, I wouldn't have discovered one of my greatest passions: to travel. But being able to see the Philippines (and eventually, the world) then write all about those experiences—now that's the perfect gift I could ever receive at this stage in my life.

Forget the flowers, stuffed toys, and chocolates. 2013, you're doing a pretty good job. Keep it up. As for me, I know I've been failing at this blogging thing, but let me make up for all the lost updates by sharing phone photos I gathered since the end of November 2012:

Openings

Would you believe that it's been a year since I last wrote here? I can't either! Hah!

Kidding aside, I apologize for being MIA for the whole of January. I'd love to say that I've been busy with the strenuous tasks the big bosses throw at me at my first official job...but I can't lie. Instead, though I'm not as aggressive as the ones before me, I admit I'm handling this job hunting thing pretty well. Slowly but surely is my strategy. I'm not one to rush things and regret the snap decisions I make. I'm lucky my time away has helped me discern which career path I choose, and although it's frustrating that there's not a lot of opportunities in the market for such, I'm just trusting it all to fate and to God, that He would bless me with the perfect position at the right time.

A love letter to the amazing year that was

I can't believe I even doubted you for a second. But 2012, you are enough proof that God is and always will be in control. And that He is only concerned with what's best for us.

I started the year with so much anxiety and a heavy heart, not knowing where I'll be heading after hopefully-graduating college...but I gladly end it with nothing but joy in me and the sense of direction I have been yearning for all my life. On days one through five, I thought long and hard to come up with a list of what seemed to be mediocre-but-still-impossible faith goals for the year. What with the never-ceasing issue of lack in funds, confidence, and inspiration still looming, I couldn't see how ambitions such as coming to America, forgiving my father, and figuring out what career path I truly want could ever happen. But they did, they all did. Now on day three hundred sixty-six, I tick all the boxes, leaving nothing unchecked.

Remembering it all gets me excited to move ahead and seek out what He has in store for me in fearless 2013. On the year I turn twenty-one, I look forward to witnessing (more) opened hearts, restored faiths, and changed lives for my loved ones, and for everyone as well.

More so, I thank you, my lovely reader, for keeping up with me and my faith adventures. This online journal is in fact my love letter to you and the rest of the world. I hope you still join me in the coming year because although it hasn't even started yet, I already know what I'll be sharing on my dear blog when it ends: it has again been all kinds of wonderful.

Cheers, Godspeed, and wishing you all the best today, tomorrow, and forever!