I'm going to miss the internet. For some reason, Visayas' internet is not as speedy or as plenty as in Mindanao. Maybe because the islands there are more divided while Mindanao is landlocked. Does that make sense?

This might be the last time I go to the office till February 18.

Dalawang araw na akong may sinat. Pero patuloy pa rin akong pumupunta sa mga meeting with requesting partner institutions. Kelangan, eh. Sana lang gumaling ako by Monday kasi totoong layas na iyon. Pero balik pa ng Sabado. January 27 to February 17... yun Visayas na ang libot ko.

Fingers crossed that I could spend my Feb 14 in Dumaguete. At least half of it anyway. The evening, hopefully I'm with my pamangkints in Cebu.

Kapoy.

Hay. I feel overwhelmed with the work I have to do. Iniisip ko pa lang ang kelangan kong gawing biyahe, nanghihina na ako. I guess, the need to get away is becoming more real and real.

Traveling is something i love to do very much. But with my profound Ilocos experience, dipping my feet in place for a day is not enough anymore. When I go someplace, I want to really see it. To meet interesting people and see what they do different from what i have been used to. Not just NGO people, but ordinary people. Like Mang Ben.

Yun. Bahala na.

Pepa's essence remains in our office CR.

Pepa is our resident rat who died the last week of work because we poisoned her.

To those animal lovers out there, sorry to have done an evil deed but we don't want a rat infestation in our office. And we are running out of sponge and soap because he/she keeps on stealing it. At the same time, he always surprises us with his presence while in the middle of number one. That's just way disgusting.

Why did we christen him/her Pepa? It's short for Peter Patrick. The second names of our boys whose room is where the CR is. Did you understand that?

Pepa has been dead for three weeks and his/her stench remains, simply because the janitor can not find the corpse anywhere. Ugh. When our boss came during the first day of work for the year, there was a swarm of 'bangaws' in the CR. A swarm! Of bangaws! Larger than raisins!!! For three days, I did not enter the room. But going down another floor can be quite an ordeal. So I had to be courageous.

So there. Pepa's essence remains. I don't think the bathroom will ever smell the same way again. Neither will I be able to linger anymore. Ugh.

hehehe! slight kilig moment kanina. :)

i promise to go home before 6:30 today. as in dapat!!!

stolen from Ina's Livejournal who in turn stole it from her cousin. Please pray for her cousin. She was kidnapped the other day. It's hard on Ina especially since she does not have anyone close to her to comfort her in the area.

NAME: Angie
AGE: 24
YEAR: 2003

PLACES:
1) PLACE YOU HUNG OUT THE MOST IN THIS YEAR: Bistro. Ateneo. Glorietta.

2) FAVORITE NEW PLACE YOU DISCOVERED: Davao particularly the Matina Town Square park. Sagada. Ilocos.

3) PLACES YOU WENT ON DATES: i don't go out on date-dates. pero when i date friends, Eastwood and Katipunan

4) FAVORITE VACATION SPOT FOR THE YEAR: Mindoro pa rin. Pero of course, there is Ilocos and Sagada!

5) PLACES YOU MADE OUT IN (OR MORE) THIS YEAR: nuninuninu...

PEOPLE:
1) PERSON WHO TAUGHT YOU ALOT THIS YEAR: Have to agree with Ina, Jesus. My mom.

2) AN OLD FRIEND YOU REDISCOVERED THIS YEAR: Erik, Toni, Ganns, Bok

3) PERSON WHO TOLD YOU THE NICEST THING ABOUT YOURSELF: Madami. People I know are nice to me. :)

4) PERSON WHO DID SOMETHING REALLY GREAT FOR YOU (AND WHAT): Gosh. Sa dami di ko na matandaan. Aleihs who helped me enjoy my vacation. My students and priest friends in Mindoro who always shelter me when I'm in Mindoro. JVPs who help me out when I'm going to areas. Artie who always takes care of me when we are together.

5) PERSON YOU SPENT THE MOST TIME WITH THIS YEAR: JVP Central Office

6) PERSON YOU DID SOMETHING REALLY GREAT FOR (AND WHAT): Di ko alam. I'm sure there is something. Maita, for one... I went home earlier just to have lunch with her before I leave pero hindi natuloy. Okay lang naman.

7) SOMEONE YOU WISHED YOU TALKED TO THIS YEAR: Talked to more... D.

8) SOMEONE WHOM YOU STARTED A GREAT NEW FRIENDSHIP WITH THIS YEAR: Many of the volunteers.

9) OLD ENEMY/S YOU MADE PEACE WITH THIS YEAR: No enemies naman.

10) SOMEONE YOU LOST THIS YEAR: D? pero nagparamdam naman siya muli nung end of the year.

11) PERSON/S YOU KISSED THIS YEAR: nuninuninu...

12) PERSON WHO MADE YOU LAUGH THE MOST: kami-kami dito sa office. the volunteers. kahit minsan di sila nakakatawa sa ginagawa nila. uy, issue.

13) PERSON WHO MADE YOU CRY: dami-dami-dami. both good and sad tears

14) PERSON YOU DISLIKED WHEN THE YEAR BEGAN BUT ENDED UP BECOMING GOOD FRIENDS WITH: am not sure. may mga kaso din talaga na ganuon ang nangyari. Does Avril Lavigne count?

15) PERSON YOU CRUSHED ON THE ENTIRE YEAR: This SJ na hindi ko na lang sasabihin kung sino. si wesley nung patapos ang taon. September.

16) SOMEONE YOU WISHED YOU APOLOGIZED TO: Mom.

17) PEOPLE YOU WENT OUT ON DATES WITH: real dates, wala.

18) FRIENDS YOU WENT OUT WITH ALOT: my wicked sister. tatit. jvp office. rowie.

19)COOLEST PERSON YOU MET THIS YEAR: gary granada and bayang barrios and joey ayala and noel cabangon

STUFF:
1) CLOTHING ITEM YOU WORE THE MOST THIS YEAR: as ever, my sister's tretorns.

2) NICEST PRESENT YOU GOT THIS YEAR: my own room

3) FAVORITE SONG FOR THE YEAR: as i lay me down tsaka hands to heaven

4) COOLEST EVENT OF THE YEAR: ilocos and sagada

5) NEW HOBBY YOU PICKED UP THIS YEAR: blogging

6) BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: paulo coelho books pa rin. tsaka american gods. can't wait for coraline paperback to come out.

7) BEST MOVIE: stolen summer.

8) MOST SHOCKING NEWS HEADLINE OF THE YEAR: marcos bust pinasabog

9) FAVORITE FOOD FOR THE YEAR: ilocos empanada. as in iyong nasa ilocos. tsaka cream of mushroom soup ng st. joseph's inn sa sagada.

10) FAVORITE NEW ARTIST THAT CAME OUT THIS YEAR: avril lavigne.

LESSONS:
1) WISEST THING YOU DID THIS YEAR: go to ilocos.

2) STUPIDEST THING YOU DID THIS YEAR: go to tagaytay, overnighted and stayed for less than twelve hours. tanga. tanga. tanga.

3) BIGGEST CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE THIS YEAR: deciding to leave.

4) BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THE YEAR: making the decision to leave.

5) SOMETHING YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY: my work is not for me.

6) GREATEST LESSON YOU LEARNED THIS YEAR ABOUT: respect the choices that you made, don't try to just please others. LOVE YOURSELF

7) BEST JOKE YOU'VE HEARD ALL YEAR: ewan.

8) BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE YEAR: wag na. persons.

9) BIGGEST BLESSING OF THE YEAR: JVP. Ilocos.

10) BIGGEST THING YOU DISCOVERED ABOUT THE WORLD: love is abundant.

11) BIGGEST THING YOU DISCOVERED ABOUT PEOPLE IN GENERAL: there is always kindness in them.

AND LASTLY!!!
1) GOALS/DREAMS FOR NEXT YEAR: find out what to do next. and do it. and do it well.

2) PREDICTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR ON:
A. LOVE- interesting
B. CAREER- interesting

Late na. Nasa office pa rin ako. Kakatapos lang ng paghahanda ko para sa re-interview ng isang applicant bukas.
Parang pagod na pagod ako ngayon. Yung tipong nanghihina ang katawan ko. Pero at least, alam ko na marami akong nagawa. Excited na ako sa pagbibisita ko sa mga area. Pero nalulungkot din ako kasi siguradong ma-mi-miss ko ito. Hirap talaga kapag alam mo na hindi para sa iyo ang isang bagay na mahal na mahal mo. Ooooh. Matapos kong isulat iyon, parang sumakit ang dibdib ko.

Mahal na mahal ko ang JVP. Ang tao. Ang office. Ang trabaho. Kaso lang... kaso lang.

Sa akin na lang iyon.

Pero masaya pa rin ako.

Last night, I had a date. With me.

I got home the usual time, around 830 PM. Just right on time for Ally McBeal. It was a rerun but I never really minded an Ally rerun so I grabbed some dinner and ate while watching TV. My dose of Ally usually has Smallville for dessert, but last night's rerun (the season has ended and they're doing the series over) was not exactly one of their better ones. It was just good being seen once (wala kasi masyadong sexual tension between Lana and Clark). So I proceeded upstairs to my room, thinking I could continue reading my book. But then a bright idea struck me. I lighted some candles,turned of the lights, played some of my favorite mushy music (mushy, not cheezy. there is a difference). The room was dimly lit, but I still wrote in my journal (I think best in the dark). A lot of interesting thoughts came to my mind. I easily filled up four pages in ten minutes.

Afterwards, I put my feet up, closed my eyes and let the music embrace me.

It was a date with myself. Good conversation. Nice stories. Interesting thoughts.
That moment, I realized how important it was to spend time with myself. Quality time with myself. I've realized that no one else can be always there for me but me and God. Might as well take care of myself or else I'd end up with a corny, dry, blah companion.

By the way, I saw "Two Towers" last December 23, 2003 (advanced screening). It hellofavah rocked! People were applauding while watching the movie. Gollum, Gimli and Legolas were the most applauded characters.

Maybe Gollum will be nominated for the Oscars. Didn't Mickey Mouse win an award before? So if the Mouse won one, maybe Gollum can, too. Not to say that the other characters didn't do well. I'm beginning to appreciate Elijah's portrayal of Frodo more. He has done a praiseworthy pefoemance of Frodo's burden. And the Ents! Just as I pictured them. Galing-Galing!

I still miss Tom Bombadil. But well...

I hope I can rent the 4-disc DVD of LOTR. I heard the giving of the gifts of Galadriel was included. Goody!

I have my own room na! Yipee!

It still wasn't my dream room. I would have wanted other fixtures and cabinets, instead of the ones that I'm using now. But still, half of the room was the way I liked it so that is something to be thankful for.

The pay off is sad, though. Mom will be staying in Davao already. I do hope she be happy there even if we are not there to keep her company.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!