the year that was

Year end na naman.  As the new year approaches, kanya-kanya na naman tayo ng new year’s resolution.  Ako hindi na muna gagawa nyan.  Never ko rin naman nasunod ang mga ginawa kong resolutions dati.  Guess i lack the firmness and just plain lazy to keep self-promises.  What i did instead is look back and ponder on the year that was and take note of the milestones that happened in my life in 2011.  At dahil ang blogger eh gumawa na ng timeslide na ginawa namang timeline ng facebook, i’ll just do the same. Makiuso lang. Hehehe...

January.   I’m still in KSA and since it’s the first year that i’m officially an ‘ulilang lubos’, all i did was to offer a prayer and remember my Tatay and Nanay who are now both in heaven. January epiphany: That i've no reason to be lonely just because i'm missing my parents on occasions like this. This is the circle of life taking it's full path.  Their story is up.  And it is my turn to write my own story. So with their guidance from above, i'd better make sure my epitaph won't be nasty at all. 

February.  Third week and i’m off to Pinas for vacation. At para na rin umuwi sa Mindoro para bisitahin si Nanay on her first year anniversary.  Bisita na rin kay Tatay dahil magkasama sila sa iisang munting palasyo guarded by the angels.  February epiphany: The love you feel for a father that's long gone and a mother who recently left can never ever dissipate from your heart.  It never will. Unless isa kang suwail.

March.  Start ng final phase ng aking project sa aking bahay. Never knew it would be so complicated. A few weeks more then i’m off to KSA again. Ayon, ganon na naman ang eksena ko sa airport.  Waiting for everyone to board the plane bago pa ako pumasok.  Masama na ang titig ng ground staff dahil hindi ako kumikilos eh puro boarding call na sila. Deym... how I wish I don’t have to go back again. March epiphany:  I should be thankful na sa dami na ng beses na paroo't parito ko sa Saudi, para na lang akong sumasakay ng jeep sa pagsakay ko ng eroplano.  While thousands of our kababayans line up on various recruitment agencies everyday, wala akong karapatang mag-inarte at all.  So move your ass and don't wait for the ground staff to drag you from your seat. 

April and May. Nothing special.  Just the usual work and bits of lakwatsa and stuff.  These are the days when i indulged myself, doing things that i enjoyed doing in preparation for a major decision i’ll soon have to make.  Naalala ko pa one time, we’re on our way to my favourite resto in khobar  for the nth time and the two friends with me asked why i’m blowing some serious cash (the resto was quite pricey).  My philosophical and highly intelligent (haha) reasoning was “gusto ko nang magsawa sa ganito para pag-uwi ko ng Pinas, ok na akong mang-gantsilyo lang sa balkonahe ng bahay ko”.  Ang lalim di ba. Hahaha... Epiphany for these months:  I'm one sucker for the finer things in life.  Had i been born rich, hindi lang siguro weekly trip to the steak house ang gagawin ko. 

June...  ahhh... these are the times na namroblema ako sa aking project.  But as the saying goes, all’s well that ends well. June epiphany:  I can put some checks on my ever fiery temper.  And I can be totally rational whenever the situation requires.  Buti na lang. 

July.  Finally!  After so many years of bombarding my friends with my complaining and whining and tales of being sick and tired, mga ka-dramahan na ayaw ko na, pagod na ako, sawa na ako and all the other theatrics that go with it, ginawa ko na.  I filed my notice of non-renewal of my contract which the company would rather call resignation. 8 years and finally i’m  off to Pinas for good on the last week of the month. As i stepped into the plane, i muttered a little prayer.  Thanking the good Lord of course for the 2 fruitful ventures in Jubail.  Kasama na ang wish na sana, there will be no more third time.  And i say wish coz who am i to close doors on what the future will bring. July epiphany:  Another major decision.  Despite the reactions i get from colleagues who think quitting on a well-paying job is a crime, i couldn't be happier with what i did.  Afterall, it's a decision borne out of careful planning, thorough analysis and several versions of my financial spreadsheet.  Ganon ako when it comes to major decisions in life.  That way, i've got no room for regrets no matter what happen.
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August.  The first and second week were spent on fine tuning my new crib.  Things that i did for the first time but enjoyed them thoroughly coz, oh well, it’s my very own.  Kabit ng ganito ganyang decors.  Bili ng kung ano-anong gamit.  At ang hirap palang magpalit ng buong set ng door lock.  Magdunong-dunungan ba naman! Haha...  finally... celebrated my birthday  on the third week with all things in place.  August epiphany: Kaya ko palang gumawa ng mga bagay na akala ko ay mahirap gawin.  It's quite fulfilling to know that I can be self-reliant whenever I choose to be. 

September and October.  Laaaazzzyyyy months.  Natupad na yong sinabi ko sa 2 kaibigan.  And although i’m not actually crocheting, i’m practically living a non-descript life.  Watching tv for hours on end.  Playing games on my pc.  Sleeping late and waking up in the middle of the day, just in time para mahabol ko yong Pinoy Henyo ng EB. Oh yeah... this is life! Haha... Just enjoying the solitude of my existence in my comfortable, wide space. Aside from my weekly trips to the grocery and going to the bank once in a while, i'm soooo tamad to leave the house. Ang pinakamalayo kong narating so far?  Malibay, Pasay to visit my relatives and Molino, Cavite to attend Mau’s housewarming.  That’s it. Epiphany for these months:  Talagang-talaga na.  I'm a 100% night person.  Going to bed just when the roosters are heralding the breaking of dawn?  Deym.  I should really consider working on a call center office.  O kaya mag-sekyu.

November.  I must admit na super excited na ako sa aking first Christmas in Pinas after many years.  Kaya  2^nd week pa lang, i already started decorating the house.  Put up my first-ever Christmas tree and bought quite a few colourful lights na inumpisahan kong pailawin on the 15^th.  I bet nobody within the neighbourhood can claim na nauna silang mag-welcome ng Christmas.  Ako lang at wala nang iba. Hahaha.. November epiphany:  Totoo palang ang mahal na ng pasko.  My pathetic tree and the  bunch of lights i bought already cost a few thousand pesos.  Tama si Pope Benedict.  We should really be celebrating Christmas with its true spirit.  Not the commercialism it has become. 

December.  Ok.  I was excited for my first Christmas but it just came and went like... uh... just another day.  Except for a few friends who dropped by, i felt like the excitement i felt before was so overrated.  I still have the whole house to myself and the only noise  i hear are the sintunadong pagkanta ng mga batang nangangaroling.  Or sa bigla-biglang tawanan ng mga nag-iinuman sa aking kapitbahay.  At sa mga malalakas na tawanan at sigawan ng isa ko pang kapitbahay na obviously ay may family reunion at nagpi-Pinoy Henyo.  Makisali kaya ako! Oh heck, mag-ingay din ako.  So i went upstairs, opened the stereo and let it play kahit hangin lang ang nakikinig. And i guess i’ll do the same on new year’s eve.  December epiphany: Red wine is good for people with ailments.  Alam mo na yon fwend! hehehe... 

There you go.  12 months of my life.  Can’t wait to see what milestones my life will have in 2012.  Baka next year wala akong maisulat kungdi puro katamaran pa rin at kawalan ng events sa aking buhay.  And based on what and where i am right now, that is more likely to happen.  Hahaha!