New Year Celebration .........

New Year Celebration has always been the grandest affair in my family! Relatives from my father's side would celebrate it with us. Food would be overflowing, there's a lot of fire crackers, singing and dancing with cousins. But for the past two years, eversince the change in date in our annual family reunion from Christmas to December 28, relatives from Bataan don't spend New Year with us anymore. Since, we have met up already on the 28, it's a lot expensive for them ( relatives) to be visiting again on the 31st. So the change in date was a very bad timing for me, my brothers, cousins and even papa. And just like last year, Paul, D.A. and I were expecting the coming of the year as a boring celebration.

But, as I've reflected today, January 1, our (my family) New Year's Celebration wasn't bad at all.

While waiting for the clock to strike 12, I chatted first with Boyet on the phone which was as hilarious as ever ( di kaya to nauubusan ng kwentong nakakaaliw) and then watch Lea Salonga's "Home for Christmas'" concert over at Cinema One ( or was it at Studio 23). At 11:00 pm , Paul was already calling me to come down from my room and see the firecrackers. Our neighbors had fountains and fire crackers while we only had lucis, chicaboom and five star ( which is quite okey, since I would rather spend money on food then on pulbura ). I made noise by setting the volume of our radio to the highest and blowing the horn papa bought form Nepa Q Mart. My lolo ( my father's dad ), who house is just beside our's kept on clanging his bells. At 12:00, I started jumping ( di na ko tatangkad, alam ko) out of joy knowing that as I welcome the New Year, I have my family to celebrate it. After a few minutes , my family went inside to eat our modest feast but before doing so prayed first for the wonderful blessing of being together and having a meal which we can share.

For our Media Noche, we have baked macaronni, pork barbeque, palabok ( courtesy of Paul's girlfriend Tina), my own version of graham's refrigerator cake, goto ( from lolo, who lives nearby and has his own family celebration with his new wife ),and for fruits we have pears, grapes, chico and mangoes ( from Kuya Russell)
We also have ham ( from Ate Tina) which we opted not to put on the table because we have so much food to feast on already( we have a lot of leftover which we are still enjoying right now). At 12:30 am , Boyet called me up again to greet me a "Happy New Year." Earlier than that I've already texted my friends and relatives my New Year wishes for them. It's wonderful to be remembered by Edith, Silvy, Majo, Chapple, Benedict, Jayjay, Kate,Myra , D.A.'s howe, through text messages. After eating and clearing up, papa, D.A, and I watched "Milan," since we don't want to go to bed feeling so stuff from everything we have eaten. I settled to bed at 2:00 am.

I know, our celebration wasn't that grand but I'm still happy and contented. I am grateful, that I have a family who loves me and supports me unconditionally, a house I can go home into when the world becomes tough and friends who cares. 2004, wasn't really a great year for me, it has its own ups and down but I'm glad to be welcoming the coming of the new year with all the people that matters to me and to whom I matter as well.
A blessed New Year to all!!!!!!!!.

The year that was..................
I can't really exactly say that 2004 was really a bad year for me and I can't also say that it has been an awesome one. In a scale of 1-10, I give it a 5, not so good, not so bad.
The biggest frustration for the year was not being able to take the board exam for teachers and going back to school again . Last 2003, I took up 18 units of professional education so I can be a teacher and quit being a medical technologist. Unluckily, the units given by NCBA were not all the ones prescribed by the Professional Regulation Commission ,so the prc rejected my application for board exams. The worst thing is I have to go back to school and earn an additional 6 units so I can be eligible to
take the exam for 2005. Its tough, to be doing the same routine I did in 2003, its hard to be working and studying at the same time again. I'm through with the six units and anticipating for the exams on August 2005.
The saddest thing was ending a seven year relationship with someone. Sad, because our relationship just ended with no clear reasons why it has to end.(maybe, I'm a coward to even admit to myself why it has to end) I still love him but my love for him is at a different level - its like loving a brother or a friend. What makes me the saddest the most is, I want us to be friends, for him to realize that even if were not a couple anymore he can still depend on me to be there in his highest and lowliest points. Its hard for me because I was the one who ended it and I feel the guilt of being the person who cause someone so much pain. I don't have any explanation at all why I end it, all I know is I just became honest in telling him that I don't want to lie and continue with the relationship just because its already seven years for us. I hope that in time, he'll learn to forgive me and accept the decision I made for the two of us. Yesterday, was his birthday and I wasn't able to greet him because the phone number he gave me was not accessible and I don't have any cell phone number I can contact as well.
Career wise, nothing special as well........I was planning to change career last 2004 but because of the bobos at NCBA wasn't able to do so. I'm so tired of doing the same thing and what I really want right now is real challenge- something that would allow me to explore all my skills and stimulate my mind.
Can't really think of the happiest moment for 2004. But I'm happy that my PC is now working and I can surf at home already, I have also my own 29 inch television , a sony vcd player and aphilips cassette and audio cd player in my room, plus I have a new sony erickson mobile phone .