THE BIG 2011 REVIEW & MOVING FORWARD 2012 WRITEUP
Been doing this since 2005 and good exercise that it is, I am totally keeping this habit until I die. So let me start this thing with my unaccomplished stuff from the past and then of course the moving forward 2012 list. Thank you very much to everyone who has been part of my amazing 2011. I do wish we carry on in 2012 and make it an even more awesome year for all of us. Woohoo!!!
Unaccomplished stuff from the past and the things I said I'll do in 2011:
1. I will get a tattoo.
Finally did it (a doctor confirmed I can still give blood to my Dad if needed) in July 2011 at P&P Tattoo in Eastwood, QC. I'm so happy and I feel 10% hotter than ever, everyday. I chose the infinity symbol for no special reason; I just think it's cool enough to be printed on me forever (forever pun not intended) and yeah it's a cool reminder for me to live up to my promise of being the fountain of youth. My tombstone will have the words "Here lies the fountain of youth." in it. Here's a photo if you wanna see it: http://followfarrah.tumblr.com/tagged/tattoo
2. I will bungee jump in Macau.
Still unaccomplished since April 2009 college graduation and I have been carrying over this one year on year. I went to Hongkong in 2011 with Adz but didn't get to squeeze Macau anymore and practically spent my money in shopping so maybe 2012 or 2013. This isn't very urgent for me right now actually.
3. I will re-discover the violin and also learn how to play the guitar or drums or spinning (aka DJ-ing).
Still unaccomplished and completely failed at this but after a quick chat with my violin teachers who also played for Carol's wedding mass, I feel energized to get back into my music groove! Let's see if I get to buy myself another violin (my beloved one from childhood got destroyed in Ondoy 2009) or a guitar or spinning lessons. Right now though, I am seriously leaning towards enrolling in spinning classes. Or wait, does playing and excelling with the djay iPhone app count?
4. I will finish at least 1 book a month.
Happy to say I did good in this one and maybe even exceeded it enough to get me back into the bookworm I originally am. It feels so great that GSK's got an amazing learning center/library and that I've made friends with our partner supplier manager from Powerbooks who treats me VIP hahaha. I want to note the following books for the extra effect/memories they've had on me this year: The Happiness Project, One Day, The Hunger Games series, and Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.
5. I will travel to as much Pinas destinations. Okay let us not get me started on how DOT should have a tourism campaign targeting Filipinos (and not just foreigners and more foreigners) to explore the rest of our islands in a "Philippines: More to Explore" kind-of-a way. I mean, don't you guys agree? We have an amazing bunch of destinations that I would love to put up a TV show for, if only TV5 would willingly partner with me. Anyway, I want to target a big fiesta and document it. I can start with that.
That's what I said and below are the places I went to this year! I think I still did very well even if I wasn't completely able to document the Bacolod Masskara Festival. I also think DOT's new campaign #ItsMoreFunInThePhilippines is worth supporting and the challenge to make it work is now a shared responsibility for all of us. I've always been a lover of our beautiful country and history and culture so I urge you guys to go schedule a trip with me. Let's plan it out!
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- Sagada, Mt. Province
- La Union
- Cebu
- Bacolod (for Masskara Festival)
- Iloilo
- Subic
- Tagaytay
- Batangas
- Davao
7. I will (wo)man up to someone and say what I have to say so that I can let it out of my chest.
Figured there's no need; I'm good at how we are now. :)
8. I will continue dancing, running, and pole dancing.
Win! I feel happy to be one of the Personal Resilience champions of my business unit and in being a pioneer of bringing Zumba-Yoga in the office and in influencing Vicky to join my Sunday runs. I'm taking a break from pole dancing because of the injuries I got (My fault; I'm too trigger happy when I see a pole that I keep swinging even if I'm doing it wrong and bruising myself all over. My inner thighs took a month to heal.) but in replacement, I tried PlanaForma and PlanaForma jazz and very soon also, cross fit. I have no problems with getting into the exercise groove because I've always been hotness conscious, and we know that in hotness, the physical dimension is quite fundamental.
9. I will have more beach trips.
Win! The mermaid in me is very happy with 2011. I'm really gaining interest in surfing & skimboarding.
10. I will go to Singapore. I just want to!
Figured I wanted to go to Hongkong more and I had a nuclear blast of a time there with Adz! :) We discovered a good enough budget hostel and we pushed our fears to the limit with all the rides from Disneyland and Ocean Park and we shopped and we killed our feet walking every bit of the city. If you're reading this mare, I love you and I do wish us more travels abroad like this!
11. I will seriously start saving.
Failed so bad at this I'm dedicating 2012 as my Financial Headstart year. It was so timely that I got to catch up with Pepe before 2011 ended and he was on the same page as me about this! He even shared a great book that'll be my bible for this project.
12. I will learn how to cook one amazing meal.
So I enrolled in Spanish cooking lessons and I think I did relatively good for a starter even if my dishes didn't taste like something I'd serve others. I know I can follow instructions well enough to serve something decent for myself but I definitely need more practice if I want the 'amazing' adjective I aim for. I want to master adobo and another Pinoy dish for 2012.
13. I will fall in love.
Obviously did not happen last year but I'm perfectly cool with it and still excited for it! :x I flirted; I dated; I... was best in single in 2011. Yeah.
14. I will go to more concerts.
I'm not the type to go to every single one I like because concerts are quite pricey and sometimes, I don't see the difference between concerts and my iPod on full blast in my ears. Anyway, I think I've had a fair share this year of the ones I like- The Script, Maroon 5, and Incubus. I noted missing LMFAO (they're coming back April 2012 anyway), Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Jason Mraz and the ultimate showgirl Kylie Minogue haha.
Oh I'd also like to include Lisa Macuja's finale performances for Swan Lake and Romeo & Juliet in this line. Ballets are like concerts to me.
15. I will catch up with friends & old friends & mentors.
I did well with my friends of course and got to catch up with a few old friends like PANA people, UP friends, and Pepe. Quickly got in touch with Sir Ray, Sir Jet and Ms. Meg but I have yet to meet them over coffee and go back to their classes as a guest judge or speaker or even listener.
16. I will photograph as much 2011 moments.
Win win win! I'm still not as diligent but I've learned how to document my day via Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr and my Tumblr is specifically getting a little famous! (Check it out: http://followfarrah.tumblr.com)
For 2012, I'm adding another good habit. I've specifically assigned the Starbucks planner I got to be a Thank You Universe journal where I get to write a couple of sentences on what I am thankful for for that day. So far, my January has been stuffed with small things like lucky parking and chori burger with Jonnah's milkshake, to big things like Dad's been walking around the village.
17. I will rock my special project.
Win win win! The special project is actually my bestfriend Carol's wedding. I spent the whole of year 2011 planning and collaborating with her, her family, suppliers, etc. for her big day last January 2, 2012 and I am very proud to say that everything went perfect! It's one thing to see everything fall perfectly from a wedding planner standpoint and it's another thing to see your bestfriend so happily getting married with the man she loves and who loves her back dearly.
18. I will be happier.
Total win! In late 2010, I read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and drafted my own for 2011 because I completely regret how I blurred and wasted my 2010 (probably my blandest year ever). The result was more than what I've drafted in my mind and I'm on a high looking back at 2011, in much the same way I surely was during most days of the year. 2011 was such a blast I wouldn't mind living it again if I had a hundred years of life. Thank you universe! :)
Moving Forward 2012:
So far, I started it GREAT with my bestfriend's big production, happy and perfect wedding last January 2 and with a Boracay vacation with them last January 4-6. I'm on a good, good start and here's more of what will help me make 2012 another nuclear blast of a life!
Major 3:
1. I will be serious about my Project Financial Headstart 2012.
2. I will be a superstar at work.
2011's been a great year for me at work and I'm happily excited for my movement in 2012.
3. I will spend (even) more quality time with Dad.
2011's been a great year for Dad's health and as I've written in my Thanksgiving post: Coming from his condition in late 2009 & 2010, and what the doctors have been telling us, I'm really, really bursting with gratitude for how 2011 turned out for him. I was barely with my Dad all my life until now that he's unfortunately sick and retired so I really pray I get to spend more happy & healthy time with him. Sometimes we're too busy growing up, we're forgetting our parents are also getting old. I promise to make 2012 better for us Dad! :)
All others in no particular rank or order:
I'll skip the things that I've accomplished and just need to continue and be more ambitious with my list. I've figured there's no harm in listing as much I want, even to the point that this will seem like a Bucket List haha. Well, here goes:
4. I will start training for my first marathon aka The Bull Runner's Dream Marathon 2013.
5. I will bungee jump in Macau.
6. I will re-discover the violin or learn how to play the guitar or spin.
7. I will master cooking adobo and maybe another one Pinoy dish.
8. I will join a triathlon relay with Mar & Maita.
9. I will find my way into dancing again. Not party dancing but real dancing.
10. I will catch up with my mentors.
11. I will play and finish at least one video game.
12. I will watch a live sports game and understand the game and not just stare and cheer for the hot boys.
13. I will travel to more and more Pinas destinations.
14. I will travel abroad at least once a year.
Well, Donna's booked us to Beijing this April so I guess this one's ticked.
15. I will visit Carol & Richard in the US once I get the chance to.
So help me God with US visa and savings.
16. I will get paid to blog about something.
17. I will be featured in a magazine. Or a website. Or a radio show. Or a TV show.
I said this list is going to be more ambitious.
18. I will sleep by 1am at the latest and wake up by 7am religiously during workdays.
19. I will buy an Alice Blue candle for the Altis.
Okay this is more of a task but I think I need to put it here because I keep ignoring it in my grocery list.
20. I will make sure my office desk is clean and organized.
21. I will clear my closet and sell/donate stuff and in effect make my mom happy, too.
22. I will help sponsor a UP Diliman scholar.
23. I will study a foreign language.
Most likely Mandarin. Or Spanish if I am really serious about living in Spain for at least a year of my life.
24. I will start searching and maybe applying for scholarships.
25. I will self-study painting.
26. I will get paid or earn from something outside of my work.
27. I will go to a Wellness Retreat at The Farm.
28. I will learn how to shoot a gun.
Dad taught me how to fire a .38 caliber when I was in 7th grade I think but I've completely forgotten.
29. I will join/volunteer for a social cause.
30. I will be happier.