It's now or never

In less than 12 hours, I am off to Pinas for the Christmas season. I may not be able to blog for two weeks; so let me greet everyone in advance a





-----

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

* Free your heart from hatred.
* Free your mind from worries.
* Live simply.
* Give more.
* Expect less.

I was out with a guy friend last Saturday. He wanted to meet up before the year ends. Being Christmas and all, I naturally had a gift for him. What he said after handing over my gift kinda left me wondering.

"Ang sweet mo naman ... swerte ng magiging boyfriend mo."

Is gift giving on Christmas considered a "sweet" deed? I mean ... isn't it just a normal thing to do?

I have always considered the giving of gifts as one of the highlights of the Christmas season. It is not because I am looking forward to the stuff I will be receiving. On the contrary, I honestly don't mind not getting one at all. As the cliche goes, "It is better to give than to receive" ... and I do believe in that.

I find pleasure in making a gift list. Looking for stuff my family and friends would like to have gives me the thrill. Seeing the delighted faces upon receiving and opening their gift makes me feel glad that I have the capability to make someone happy.

A gift signifies the love you have for a person. It shows how grateful you are to this someone for coming into your life. And no matter how small your gift is ... it's the thought that matters most. So this Christmas season, find it in you heart to give a little love.

Of course, let us not forget the greatest gift that has been given to us ... Jesus Christ. Because of His great love for us, He has sent His only Son to save us from our sins and show us the promise of eternal life.


-----

"Ang wish ko na lang ay sana matagpuan mo na yung taong para sa'yo." -- a friend said this as a way of saying thanks for my gift to him. And it was all I needed.

I admit it takes time for me to calm down. But I am not the type who keeps grudges. Anyway, I am glad that we are okay now. Although, we still need to have a talk about it.

"Pride does get in the way of ironing out what could be settled, but differences should be given enough time--time measured carefully, not too much time that you get used to being apart, but not too little time that the wound is still too fresh."

Single friends finally finding love.

Engaged friends planning their weddings.

Married friends expecting their first born.


I can't help but wonder, where am I in this journey called life?

Then, I read this wonderful post from a wonderful blog I have been reading for quite a while.

"...have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer." -- Letters to a Young Poet


What more can I say? \(^.^)/

We often hear people say that money is just money.

There are more important things in life than the yens tucked away in our wallets or the pesos stored in the banks.

I agree.

Yet, we can't deny the significant effect money has on people.

Just this afternoon, everybody was in a pleasant and lighthearted mood while having lunch.

It's not just because lunch was shouldered by our "kuya" or we will be going to Disney sea tomorrow.

It's for the main reason that today is BONUS day!

*happy dance*

Being a vocal person has put me in situations that I want to forget.

The "feeling" person in me tends to let my emotions take over.

However, seldom do I give in to anger.

Actually, it has been quite a while since the last time I felt such a strong feeling.

But this time around, I couldn't control it anymore.

Call me child-like.

I don't care.

Na-iinis ako.

(And I do not like the feeling ... it makes me sad.)

Please don't ask me.

I don't want to talk about it.

...

...

...


All right, I think I didn't do that well to assure me of a passing score. The exam was just so hard for me. The allotted time was not enough for me to finish the exam. So in the end, I had to do a "Eenee, Meenee, Mainee, Mo!" in more than 30 test items. And we all know that doesn't sound good!

Results will be out mid-February next year. That's 2 months of waiting ... brooding ... pondering ... hoping ... and praying that things will turn out well.



力の限り、頑張りました！



-----

(Not-so-) Crazy things I have thought and done for a miracle to happen:

1) Nagsindi ng kandila sa simbahan. (It has been quite a while since the last time I lit a candle besides the ones found in cakes.)

2) Promise to attend mass every Sunday this month of December. (December na lang muna... wouldn't want to make promises I couldn't keep.)

3) Promise to donate a month's worth of the Nihongo incentive to a good cause.

A cold feeling through my body.

A pounding heart.

A weakness in my arms.

A pain in my neck and lower back.

An upset stomach.


I think I'm having panic attacks!
(God help me ... I am losing control.)

Since Christmas is just around the corner, here's the list of things I would love to have in this season of giving. (In case dear Santa [a.k.a. my smart and good-looking friends] happens to read this blog. *wishful thinking* :D )

* CSI dvds (seasons 2 and 4)
* Battery for my Sony P10
* To the Nines by Janet Evanovich (paperback)
* Sex and the City Season 6
* The Opposite of Fate: A Book of Musings by Amy Tan
* Middlesex: A Novel by Jeffrey Eugenides
* Back to the Future - The Complete Trilogy (Widesreen Edition)
* Looney Tunes - Golden Collection
* Gift certificate to a spa
* Creative NOMAD MuVo Armband
* Clothes (shirts, blouses, pants, etc.)
* A nice bag (Gucci, Coach, RL, etc.) -- mas hehehe :D
* A new car -- pinaka hehehe :D
* ...

On second thought, I wouldn't mind not getting a thing this year for I have been so much blessed already with a loving family, wonderful friends, a good job, and this and that. But if you insist, you can choose a thing or two from the list below:

* a prayer for my upcoming JLPT exam
* a contribution to the Gawad-Kalinga
* another prayer for my GG (hihihi)
* a heartfelt "Merry Christmas"
* a warm hug
* ... (surprise me!)


-----

How about you? What do you want this Christmas? Me and Santa are good buddies you know ... might hand your list to him. *wink*