on walking and bumps: year ender post

I started walking holding Papa's hand. I walk when I need to buy load from a nearby sari-sari store. To keep my weight issues at bay, I do brisk walking every morning for the first 3 weeks of December. (I plan to continue BTW) At 21, I think I've walked on every pothole, manhole and bumped into every hump and bump in front of me. I've fallen into many ditches already and this year, the medical ambulance or the yellow tow truck finally arrived and pulled me out. It may take time but all the same it feels good to know that I'm being pulled and I can get back on walking. 

2010. Ahh, it feels nice to just pronounce it. (Say it with me, "twenty ten" *clap clap clap*) It comes with a certain kind of liberation and pure happiness!

I started walking through Stress Avenue this year. I had to painstakingly endure several stressful Tuesdays where I was asked to answer a question for a Jurisprudence graded recitation. To add damage, I had to prepare for the exams of all exams, the nursing licensure exam. It was basically what I did for the first half of the year. I felt like I left Earth for a while. All at the same time, our organization had to juggle review and graduation preparations and it was no picnic. We deal with 100 multiple choice post tests and late meetings in one day. Make it in an hour or so. 

Leaving Stress Avenue was a big relief. I was hyped so everything became blurred. Oops! I hit my head on a post. It was my fault, I wasn't really watching where I was going so I didn't do anything to avoid it. The post holds a sign that says Friendship Street. No matter where I walk, I am not alone. I can honestly say that this year has been full of wonderful friendships. 

It was an honor to meet my board topnotcher cousin Dr. Roel Evangelista, a blessing to create a thick thread of friendship with Timmy & Grace over UAAP, with Alay, Brigid, Nikki & Jean over review sessions and St. Jude trips, a priceless moment to talk with Ramon Bautista, to steal a photo opportunity with courtside reporters Jessica Mendoza and Lia Cruz and to display my fan girl affection to the FEU basketball players through a cupcake. 

Along side, there will always be my weird family and friends. All together, they kept my sanity intact and working.

I took a right turn where the sound is at its loudest and people are merry making. This must be the Achievement Road. I mustered enough courage and hard work to walk past through this road. With the touch of faith, God gave me what my heart longs for since the beginning of this year: to graduate with honors. I came to realize that nothing beats hard work and prayers. Who would have also thought that the student who was once asked to scrub out in her first ever major operation will receive a clinical proficiency award? Amazing, right? This year too, I am officially a registered nurse. An unemployed one at that, but still a registered nurse. 

While everything is happening, (or while I continue to walk in my life), life is.. well, life. It doesn't skip over the bad, boring or the not-so-worth-telling parts. I've had my fair share of losing patience over review materials, crying sessions over arguments with friends and family, breakdowns from too much stress and confusion over my career choice. Life and walking through it is not a walk in a park. It is not exciting every minute of every day. 

And so, I'd run over another bump and fall into another ditch. I'd see another road or street and walk through it. This time, though, I hope I learned my lesson. It's time I learned to look at the road, to really read the road sign of where I'm going and be aware of what I'm doing. 

If there's one thing I'm sure of for 2011 and for the years to come, it is that I WILL CONTINUE WALKING until I get past through every road and every bump.

So, I'm getting back on the road now. Here's to learning how, where and who to walk with.

HAPPY 2011! Cheers for a wonderful year ahead!

Cheers! Happy New Year!

post christmas post

25th has come and gone and we find ourselves surrounded by gift wrappers and opened presents. Ah, this time of the year when we only have a few more days to go before another year unfolds.

I salute my family and friends! 

To the man who gave me enough money and time to go holiday shopping. To the amazing woman who taught me how to wrap big presents. To the awesome girls who shared their blessings. To the boys who carried my shopping bags. And to all who made my Christmas a blast! Big thanks!

I also had the wonderful chance to spend time with my awesome buncha friends!

BOSSings at Avenetto :)

with Timmy and Grace at Cyma

This Christmas too was the great bonding time of the Pels! Hahaha! My sisters and I bonded over Perfect Match, a Korean series starring no other than Lee Min Ho!

What I love most about Korean series is that their stories have so much substance. They build the characters well, too! Perfect Match is definitely a feel good series for the single. Watch it if you have time, so worth it! I swear if he goes to the Philippines, I WILL SEE HIM!!!! 

While my brothers and I bonded over Family Guy! They love imitating Peter and Stewie's voices. I find them hilarious over the Simpson's. 

ADVANCE HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! :) can't wait for my year ender entry. Watch out for it!! 

fan girl: the nth time

Blessed Tuesday Morning!


It's an open book that I love speaking and sportscasting. So, it is a dream come true to meet LIA CRUZ! 

It frustrates me that I look like crap next to her! Hahaha! I really look like I just came out from bed! I'm also fat all over! I kinda hate my round face, too. I think I need to add more volume to my hair. Plus, my wide forehead says "hello!" Hahaha! Oops! Sorry for the rant! 

I was telling her how starstrucked I am to see her! But she keeps on saying "don't be!" She's super pretty!! She has REALLY nice features! I was really hesitant to approach her at first. Good thing, I found the perfect timing! Thanks Lia! And oh, Merry Christmas too! <3 

Now, if only I can have a picture with Bianca Gonzalez. 

Merry Christmas, guys! 

family is not a word, it is a sentence

We love them, we hate them, we cannot live with or without them. And oh, I am definitely not talking about boys! Hahaha I'm talking about FAMILY. 

I cannot count with my ten fingers alone how many times I've flipped out or almost flipped out because of my mom, dad, sibling or relative. It seems like families are built to drive each other insane or be the cause of your ultimate frustration or disappointment. Maybe we cannot really fully understand how Mama can be a nagger at times, how Papa can expect you to laugh at his old time jokes or how your sibling can get your things without your permission. 

It can be something as little as your sibling's inability to refill an empty water bottle, a mother disagreeing with your recent purchase, a father's strict implementation of curfew or the whole household's search for a lost mobile phone charger. We want them to love us,  to be proud of us, to love what we love. But sometimes it is frustrating to realize that they see things in a different way from ours and in return, we have no choice but to live with it. Baka napulot lang nila ako? O kaya napagpalit kami ng baby na kasama ko nun sa nursery? Could this be my family?

AND YET.

We cannot just turn our backs at them. There will ALWAYS be a thread, wire or rope connecting us to them. 

I LOVE MY FAMILY. I will answer back Mama, argue with Papa (only when I can handle his reasons), slam the door of my brother's room out of frustration and give the cold treatment to my sisters, BUT I will definitely choose them over a million dollars and drop whatever I'm doing when they need me the most. Why? Because families are there for each other. THAT'S WHAT FAMILIES DO. They reach out, they listen, they care (though you feel they do not) As the famous movie tagline says "Family isn't a word, it's a sentence." Your closest friends can leave you without a word, but your family just cannot. They are there for life. We cannot choose our family the way we choose our friends, WE ARE STUCK WITH THEM. So we must treat each other well. :)

And oh, did I say I love my family? 

Happy Holidays!! 

school and not being in school

It hasn't really hit me yet in full, the fact that I'm a graduate and a registered nurse at that. A young adult that needs to be employed or atleast starting to take steps to be employed. I realized it last Sunday, while hitting the road with my whole family, when my over achiever sister posed me this mind boggling question- Ate, ano mas okay.. nag-aaral parin or graduate na?

Can I honestly say that I'M ACTUALLY TORN? I cannot give her a straight and debate worthy answer. 

Here's the deal:

After fifteen years of uniforms, deadlines, textbooks, terror teachers and awesome ones, grades to maintain, responsibilities to look after to, relationships, school traffic, homework, projects, duties to attend, case presentation preparations, oral and written exams, piles of hand outs, pencil case full of high lighters and everything that comes with school, SCHOOL'S OVER. And yes, I am relieved! The burden of school was EXTREMELY EXHAUSTING. As part of the batch's organization, every single time that we spearhead a graduating event, it will hit me: I AM SO, SO, SO TIRED. I am sick of being all about school. Suddenly, the four years of college seems to weigh me down. Four years of keeping the nerd mode on. Four years of studying even for a ten item quiz. Four years of preparing for every prelim, midterm & final exam. Four years of giving my best. Four years of non-stop work. At the end of the day, all I want to do is hide under my blanket and sleep.

So, being not in school, loosens the tight strings in my chest. And a deep breath comes out. *deep breath* The sadness takes a back seat on this one. I'm more of relieved. Thank God, I came out alive! 

On the other hand... (here's where the dilemma sets in hehehe)

I'm relieved school is over but I'm also terrified of what happens after. 

I HAVE NO IDEA HOW NOT TO BE A STUDENT. AT ALL. I wish there was a self help book available for this matter. I've always been a student as what my memory bank can serve. There was always a handout to read, a test to ace, a project to cram for, a book to be studied. I cannot imagine a year without two semesters and a late mail that sends my grade to my parents. My hands are trembling as I switched the nerd mode OFF. 

Plus, it (not being in school) has it's downsides:

1. no regular allowance; but you're lucky if your parents love you so much (Thanks Paps!!)

2. boredom kills as much as tons of studying do

3. you're the instant house helper slash yaya slash errands girl/boy

4. YOU ARE OBLIGED TO LOOK FOR A JOB. ASAP!; and a sign welcomes you, too. "HELLO REAL WORLD! BYE IDLENESS!!"

5. you have no reasons to go out. sort of a bummer! you have to let your hidden charms work BIG TIME! 

Here's an instance I know most of you can relate (especially my nurse friends hehe :)

It's quite nakakahiya during elementary or high school get togethers where everyone brags about their new job. (well, not really brag but more of telling a background of the company they're working for and the pay check of course!) They turn to you and say "Oh ikaw san ka ng hospital nagwowork?" And in front of your engineer, CPA and economist friends, you go into details about the current unemployment issue of nurses in our country. In short, still unemployed! And boy, the feeling is disturbing. Right? Sila kumikita na. Eh ikaw? Wala pang nangyayari sa buhay mo. That's when you badly want to take baby steps to employment. Kahit baby steps lang. This is "what happens after" is. 

Yes, I'm scared and bit worried at the same time. Will I get a hospital job after my 6 months training? Can I make a living? Will I excel at my profession? A lot of questions going into my head right now. Above all this, I'm just glad I'm worrying because after this career crisis, I have reasons to be thankful and relieved. :) 

So I arrive at two points: 1) school is exhausting but can be really missed and 2) not being in school can be pretty taxing too. 

At the end of the day, I'm just lucky to have experienced both. School and not being in school. 

I'm excited of what comes after the second point. A lot of opportunities await! Slowly but surely. I'm ready to square my shoulders and embrace what lies ahead.

And to my sister, take that as an answer. 

Happy Day everyone! God Bless :)

Smile! Life is so, so, so wonderful!! :)