Pre-New Year Musings

I won’t be writing any year ender post in here due to lack of time. I am scheduled to leave for Singapore on Jan. 1 (that’s tomorrow!!!) and from there, head to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (popularly known as Saigon) then to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia then back to Manila on Jan. 8, 2010. Yes, I am welcoming the coming new year in three different countries with one of my bestfriends, Jem. Peter will be left behind because of work, another reason that I should really take this trip coz I’ve been wanting to do an Asian trip either alone or with Jem who’s possibly the most carefree person I know. She is not into social networks and any of the O.C. stuff that  I do.  She thinks it’s a waste of time and she’d rather be up and about doing something more concrete and actionable which I admire coz I sometimes feel that way too. She works hard, parties harder and travels the hardest. From Phoenix, Arizona, she got transfered to Utah and she’s loving it. That’s her life and I sometimes envy her. She’s always on the go! In fact, as soon as she finished booking our flights to these three Asian countries, she was already inviting me to go with her to Laos and Burma some time soon. Oh my!!! What a free spirited girl!

Anyway, suffice it to say that 2009, in spite of everything, has been a year of both fun and introspection for me.  I say FUN coz I did things that made me happy (applied for a new job, quit that job, went back to doing online work, set up the Vita Pluys biz, did acting stints, cooked on TV, created new blogs, partied a lot, attended blog events, etc.) and I say INTROSPECTION coz there were many moments when I  just wanted to be left alone so I can reflect about my life, my decisions, my purpose. If you want to go into further details, feel free to just browse my sidebar and go back to the previous months filled with travels, adventures, endings & beginnings, love, wishes, thoughts and other great things. Do check out my other blogs too.

Moreover, for this post, I want to welcome 2010 with open arms. I am letting go of my fears , anxiety, guilt and fully embracing the great purpose that the universe has in store for me. I will continue doing the things I love to do and  hopefully become a better person along the way. In fact, Jem is a gift from God. Doing an Asian backpacking trip is one of those scary things I wanted to do for so long but never really got around to doing. I love to travel, yes. I am the Sexy Nomad after all. But I’ve also been so caught up in my own comfort zone that if I have a choice, I always choose to be comfortable. This time around, I need to pack light (I used to pack weeks in advance so I can plan my getup and accessories… no time to do that now), I need to learn how to sleep in airports if the need arises, we will be booking in the most affordable hostels, I have to learn how to make new friends right on the spot, I need to let go of my O.C. tendencies since this is a very impulsive decision and we didn’t have enough time to plan our exact itinerary. I know it will be fun, but I must admit, it’s still kinda scary.

I gave it much thought and told Peter about my hesitations. But like the best hubby that he is, he told me to just go. He knows that this trip will do me good;  it will open my world to new insights; and it will signify how the rest of the year will be for me — more carefree, less worries, detached from material things, more  attuned to my divinity, more abundant, filled with  love,  pouring with great blessings and bliss. ^_^  Now, I really have no excuse. On a more serious note, Jem told me that without suffering, there is no gratitude. And feeling grateful for everything that I have is what I need to keep doing. Jem, after all is not just an expert backpacker but she’s a very spiritual person too. I know we’d be having one of the best times of our lives and this trip will be a turning point for me.

Anyhoo, I also just want to share on this post  the latest happenings in my life before I go. I’d be brief since I still have to  take care of other things before I pack for my trip which is scheduled less than 30 hours as of this writing.

~~~oOo~~~

Going back the last few days after Christmas, my mom stayed with us. If you’ve read my previous Christmas post, Christmas Diary 2009, you’ll find out why my mom decided to do that. We were just at home the whole time — watching DVDs, doing online stuff, and just basically hanging out. One night, my mom craved for Chowking so off we went to Festival Mall to grab a bite.

Had it not been for my Dad’s birthday, we all wouldn’t have gone home to celebrate it. So that’s what we did last Dec. 29. We stayed in San Mateo Rizal for the night, bonding and drinking the night away. 

 Early morning of December 30, Peter and I picked up Jem in Eastwood. She will be staying with us for the night. From Eastwood, we headed to Westgate in Alabang for lunch. Jem was craving for Japanese food so we went to Red Kimono. Everything we ordered was so delicious that we even sent the chef some of our best compliments! My favorite was the green tea ice cream and halu-halo and the chocolate coconut balls that tasted so divine! Mmmmm… 

In Westgate, there are two antique furniture shops that we visited that afternoon — Bohemian Nation and Orientique.

When we got home, Jem surprised us with awesome gifts! I super love ‘em!!! 

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 Jem gave me Oprah’s LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE, Learning the Tarot and The Rider Tarot Deck. Peter got SANDMAN King of Dreams. They were all perfect! Thanks so much Jem!!! You have a talent for gift-giving. Kisses!!!!

 We slept the rest of the afternoon then come late evening, that’s when Jem finalized our very impulsive backpacking trip. ^_^ So, how about you? How was your pre-New Year celebrations so far?

May 2010 be a  happy, healthy, and prosperous year for all of us!

 P.S. Do check out the projects I have planned for 2010. It’s time to face my fears!!! Ciao for now!