2007 year-end survey

What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before? --> I travelled by myself from Kobe to Nara to Osaka and back to Kobe, all in one day!

Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? -->I didn't have New Year's resolutions last year..

Did anyone close to you give birth? --> Piah and Ingrid gave birth to adorable baby girls!

Did anyone close to you die?--> Nope

What countries did you visit? --> Japan, Singapore, Indonesia

What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? -->uhh...a boyfriend... seriously, be more disciplined, I guess.

What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? --> July 2... our Gillette Japan Project had cutover. Work hours were crazy.. it was exhausting but rewarding.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?--> Finally getting my own room... going to my dream country.

What was your biggest failure? --> Failing myself.

Did you suffer illness or injury? --> Was sick for 3 weeks last November/December... worst feeling in the world. I told my mom I couldn't take a sick leave and just catch up on rest by HP shutdown. My mom retorted back: will you still be alive by then?!! =(

What was the best thing you bought? --> My cellphone.. I've always wanted a flip phone

Whose behavior merited celebration? --> mine. hahaha!

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? --> A certain officemate. The ultimate orc.

Where did most of your money go? --> credit card bills

What did you get really, really, really excited about? --> Going to other countries! I'm a travel junkie... and talking to my Ideal

What song(s) will always remind you of 2007? --> Suicidal.. =)

Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder? -- happier
ii. thinner or fatter? -- thinner!

iii. richer or poorer? -- richer

What do you wish you'd done more? --> Wrote more about my travels and experiences this year.. lately I don't have time anymore to write...

What do you wish you'd done less of? --> Buy coffee... drinking

How many one-night stands? --> None

What was your favorite TV program? --> Prison Break and Grey's Anatomy.. helped me through SIT and BAT phases of Gillette

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? --> yes....

What was the best book you read? --> Band of Brothers; Harry Potter book 7

What was your greatest musical discovery? --> i dunno

What did you want and get? --> To travel to Japan (finally!)

What was your favorite film of this year? --> Transformers! Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? --> Turned 22 and treated my officemates to dessert.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? --> Liking my job.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? --> Feminine chic in the office... college look in the mall.. a total babe at parties (haha, that's just me)

What kept you sane? --> Friends... sleep... knowing there's a tomorrow to dump my troubles in before going to sleep

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? --> Johnny Depp

What political issue stirred you the most? --> senators winning the MMFF....

Who did you miss? --> Toby


Who was the best new person you met? --> ideal... *giggles*

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007? --> what you want may not be what's best for you... so just find other ways to get it (think out of the box)

What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself? --> that I was irreplaceable =)

The most touching experience you've had this year?--> my PM defending me

What did you like most about yourself this year? --> Doing more than what I thought I could handle.

What did you hate most about yourself this year? --> financially struggling

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year? --> In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. In 525,600 minutes - how do you measure a year in the life? How about love? How about love? How about love? Measure in love. Seasons of love. 525,600 minutes! 525,000 journeys to plan. 525,600 minutes - how can you measure the life of a woman or man?

Was 2007 a good year for you? --> definitely!

What was your favorite moment of the year? --> getting a vacation!

What was your least favorite moment of the year? --> getting broke!

Where were you when 2007 began?--> at home


Who were you with? --> family

Where will you be when 2008 ends? --> probably still at home

Who will you be with when 2008 ends? --> still with family... and maybe with ideal on the side

Do you have a new years resolution for 2008? --> yes

What was your favorite month of 2007? --> Feb.. experiencing winter in Japan for the first time! no snow though...

Did you lose anybody close to you in 2007? --> yes... a few friends fell along the way...

Did you miss anybody in the past year? --> Hyung and Jem

What was your favorite record from 2007? --> none

How many concerts did you see in 2007? --> *gasp* none!

Did you drink a lot of alchohol in 2007? --> I drank more than the previous year

Do a lot of drugs in 2007? --> no


You do anything you are ashamed of this year? --> many... i forgot them all

How much money did you spend in 2007? --> a lot!

What was your proudest moment of 2007? --> Being praised by my Japanese counterparts. I blushed that moment.. and I tell you... I don't blush!

What was your most embarrassing moment of 2007? --> Being wrong at something I thought I was so sure about...

If you could go back in time to any moment of 2007 and change something, what would it be? --> none. I loved every minute of it, mistakes and all!

What are your plans for 2008? --> Learn new roles. Be more engaged and proactive.. at home and at work.

How are you different now that the year has ended? --> I've learned how to deal with different people. More tolerant and culturally sensitive... I'm more serious about saving up for an apartment... More fashion conscious... Learning to love my curvy body

What are your wishes for the new year? --> To get to travel again.. either for business or pleasure

War Chronicles and Band of Brothers

I got hooked on this series when I was in high school. They were being shown in HBO every Saturdays after the 9PM blockbuster screening. Unfortunately, the first time wasn't so appealing. It was the episode called Bastogne. If you've watched the series, you can agree with me that this episode was one of the most dramatic, probably the climactic part of the story. It was 10 episodes long, averaging about 50 minutes per episode.

Since the series showed around 11PM, you can just imagine the lengths I had to go through to stay up late (during high school, I was already off to la-la land by 9PM). Towards the end, it got pretty boring and I was very much interested how the story kicked off. That time, I didn't have the opportunity (and the money) to buy original VCDs. I didn't know that it was based on a book by Stephen Ambrose. I settled for another war movie, Saving Private Ryan. It was more accessible and since it was shot at the same time as Band of Brothers (both were produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks), it gave me the same feeling as watching Band of Brothers.

Another opportunity came up when we were in Jakarta. There were more pirated VCDs there than in Manila so Dad was able to buy the entire series. I watched it but was turned off by the grainy quality. I just settled to watching other war movies.

I was already in college when I got to buy the DVD set and was able to watch the entire series. I spent my evenings at home during the weekends in front of the TV and DVD player. The cinematography was just incredible. It felt like I was also in Normandy when they first jumped out of burning planes, falling from the sky towards enemy territory. I felt the cold winter chills when they were fighting in Bastogne and Foy (with me doing research that it was more known as the Battle of the Bulge). There was also the relief of finally capturing Berchtesgaden and being able to come home with more baggage they could handle.

Another opportunity presented itself to me while I was in transit to Singapore. I saw in one of Changi's bookstores some of the books written by Stephen Ambrose. I decided to get the title, Citizen Soldiers because, let's face it, WWII was all about citizens becoming soldiers. Civilians plucked from their peaceful lives to take part in the biggest campaign the world has ever seen since Alexander the Great.

Finally, during one of my WFS(tarbucks) day, I spent the afternoon doing SAP in Starbucks inside Fully Booked. There, sitting in the shelf under authors A-C, stood a lone book. I picked it up and began to read the 1st few pages, when the coding lifted by 7PM, I purchased the book, finished my work for the day and went home. I curled up in my chair and began to read one of the best memoirs (relatively speaking, of course.. I haven't read much war documentaries).

Band of Brothers was one of the best war stories I've ever encountered. Full-Metal Jacket was just too gory (in the eyes of an 8-yr old, anyway). Empire of the Sun was about the war but focused on Christian Bale. Pearl Harbor was too blockbuster-y. The older war movies were great. Some of the best I've seen were All Quiet on the Western Front (I just can't find the DVD here...), A Beautiful Life (love it! love it!), Der Untergang (German: The Downfall) and Schindler's List.

Or maybe because Band of Brothers had more air time than these films. After all, it takes more effort to convince a crowd to love a 2 and a half hour movie. 9 hours of air time gives the audience to connect more to each and every one of the characters, their trials and personal demons.

I just finished reading its book equivalent. It gave me more insight than the series.. of course, I've never heard of a movie that surpassed its book.

Recommended Movies:
:: The Longest Day (Sean Connery--> about the failed Market Garden operation)
:: U-Boat --> German movie on U-Boats.. a must-see for suspense junkies
:: U-571 --> U-Boat's Hollywood equivalent
:: Flyboys --> RAF vs Luftwaffe over the British Channel
:: A Very Long Engagement (Audrey Tatou -->WWI French drama and romantic epic)
:: Flags of our Fathers --> Battle on Iwo Jima
:: Letters from Iwo Jima --> Japanese POV on the Battle on Iwo Jima
:: The Great Escape --> Allied POWs in a German prison camp
:: Enemy at the Gates --> WWII from the Eastern front. A Russian sharpshooter (Jude Law) vs. a German corporal (Ed Harris)

I'm looking for WWII movies set in Africa.. mostly on the story of the Afrika Corps and Gen. Rommel. I've been reading up on him and it seems like he's one of the best German officers. He was also found guilty on Hitler's attempted assassination.

Check out some of the novels written by Ken Follet (Eye of the Needle, Man from St. Petersburg, Hornet Flight, Jackdaws), Fredrick Forsythe (Jackal, Odessa Files). Most are stories set on WWII. I'm more of a Ken Follet fan than Fredrick Forsythe, but I love them both!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

^_^ Merry Christmas everyone! ^_^

** My brother passed his thesis this December so he's sure to graduate this January 2008. Two down, one more to go!

** My sister celebrated her 19th birthday with sore eyes and a very sore throat (keyword: sore). We had lunch at Paseo Uno in Makati Mandarin. Food was delicious! My stomach was already bursting and I really forced myself to eat at least half of the desserts!

** This year, I think I attended 5 Christmas parties.. all of them included food fests! I think I packed 8 pounds just by attending those parties. But I guess since it is the holidays, it's ok to indulge once in a while.

** Despite my project being in the Japan market (again!), this time, I'll try not to open my HP laptop and really enjoy the holidays (like it's supposed to be!)

** We're having our annual Charades competition among us cousins this month. We're trying to step up the game! Go us!

** I was lector during our Christmas Midnight Mass! I'm so happy I was part of that very memorable celebration of the Eucharist. Not many people have the honor and the privilege of reading the Christmas scriptures.

** Movie and DVD marathons once again! I'm watching Will & Grace (one of the best sitcoms ever!). Somehow, series with gay characters in them make it more hilarious. No offense to them! In fact, I think their characters give the extra "oomphff!" to the punchlines. Jack McFarland is one of the funniest characters I've ever encountered!
I just finished watching Criminal Minds (go Spencer Reid!) and I'm shifting from drama/suspense to comedy.

** This Christmas, I met my two goddaughters. Sophia just turned 4 months (her birthday's Aug.24, 2007) and Kylie wil be 5 years old on Feb.6. They are just both adorable. Yeah, I fell in love with Sophia's toothless grins and Kylie's innocent inquisitiveness! I can't wait to have babies of my own...hmmm... now all I need is a good man with good genes! *patch*patch*

Replays

It's like the LSS... no matter how much you'd like it to disappear from your brain, it never ceases to haunt you every waking moment.

I can't sleep. Whenever I think about it, it gets my blood pumping with dread. It's that terrible feeling at the pit of your stomach... like a feeling when you're in a tournament. Those butterflies really give hell.

I think about it whenever I'm not thinking of something good enough to block it out for a second. How I should've reacted, what I should've said. I think of useless things that I should've done, just to appease myself. I hated myself for what I did, for giving in. I should have fought... morally, I should've done that. But I didn't. I didn't want to spend another moment there. It was hell.

And now, knowing that I did that just to get away, I couldn't help but miserably remember every second spent there. And it sucks. It really really sucks.

I'm really gonna look like shit in the office tomorrow...