After reading my cousin Ann’s blog, I was inspired to write my own 2007 year-end report. Unlike hers, this will be short (I hope), hehe.

It has been a great year for me regarding work. I’ve been talking about work all the time, because it has been my life when I started living here in the States . It may sound pathetic, but in a way it taught me so many things. Being independent and deciding things for myself was a huge transformation for me. Back in the Philippines, aside from work, I partied all the time, night-outs with friends, overnights here, ovenights there. I don’t know if i’m still adjusting here or not..but it’s different! I might just be exagerating, I still manage to have fun every now and then. Maybe I just miss my friends back home. I have grown to really love my work now, even though its far different from the work that i used to. Unlike on my previous job, where I sit infront of my computer all the time,designing, drafting, editing, print here, print there..and the only time I get to see the outside world was during site visits…were I guess…alright. But I wanted some more…I wanted to communicate more, to serve more and to “move” more. So when I had the chance to land this job, I embraced it and at the same time praying that this will give me insights on what I really want to do. It’s different..it was a total shock for me…it’s energy consuming, time consuming. But I like it…I really like it alot. 2007 was roller coaster ride for me, I was promoted, became an empolyee of the month (again), was awarded an employee of the year (for the past year), travelled, met important people…made more friends.

2007: the year of shopping…dot…com
I think I have shopped more online than in an actual store in 2007 (well except for the groceries). I was cleaning up my desk and found this stack of receipts from mailed packages…and thought…”my gosh, I think i did alot of shopping this year…online shopping!” Bought my cds and dvds online (from my favorites music store yesasia.com). Bought lotion, sanitizers and other beauty products online (from, where else…my fave…bathandbodyworks.com). Bought stuff for my computer online, softwares and hardwares (from circuitcity.com and corel.com). Bought magazines, perfumes, watch tool and other knick-knacks online (from ebay.com). Bought shoes online (from zappos.com –>my place of nirvana, hehe). Bought my ipod and ipod accessories online (from apple.com). Purchased songs for my ipod online (i-tunes store). Bought feng shui items online (from fengshuiweb.co.uk). Upgraded to a better plan from my web host (the best web host ever–>site5.com)..etc .etc.! But I think the best purchase that i did in 2007, was my ipod…Oh, my ipod how can I live without you! LOL. At first I was really hesitant to buy one, but through the convincing powers of my bestfriend Edc, I finally did it with no regrets at all! I use it all the time, not just for music but for other entertainment as well. Plus, it’s a good tool if you want to isolate yourself from the annoying public, hehe. As of this moment I have 948 songs, 100 videos and 10 podcasts.

2007: the year of lost and found
Well, I really didn’t lose anything important that year. But I finally found the person, that i’ve been searching for a long long time. Fely was my closest friend way back in highschool, we’ve lost communication for more than 10 years. Through the power of the internet and the world wide web, I found her again, and I’m so happy. We have alot of catching up to do…unfortunately we have to do it online. I was extra happy that my bestfriend Edc have finally met her in person giving the opportunity to represent me, I felt like i was there meeting her again. Edc is like the other half of me…oh he’s the best!
Met new friends in 2007, and I mean a diversity of friends…Japanese, Italian, African-American, Latinas, Turkish, Russian. I love making new friends from all over the globe. Learning their language and culture excites me alot. Hmmm, did I use the word ‘excite’? lol. It’s fun to learn a new language! I have started studying the japanese, spanish, italian languages years ago (and still in the learning process), but now i’m into russian. What a beautiful language, but it’s a tongue-twister for me…zdrastv-oo-tye! (hmmm, not sure about the spelling though, hehe)

2007: the year of web designs…and graphics
You all know by now, that web design is one of my passions. I’m not a proffesional nor an expert on this part, but I learned it through self-study. And I’m hooked!. I did alot of web designing that year, not just for my own homepage but for others as well. It’s a natural high for me when someone wants my ’services’ to make their own webpage. Aside from my ccastardust site, I made some designs for Edc, the AFLS group, the 750 connection group, the seasoned writer Sabine etc. etc! But the best thing that happened to me in 2007 is when I won the logo design contest for this organization in Texas. I was extremely overjoyed when they have chosen my design.

2007: their nine-lives are over
Isis and Gertrude past away. First, it was Gertrude, she had some sort of illness or something and then the adorable Isis, my fave. They were really old cats and I guess their nine-lives are over. I miss them alot.

2007: the year of ‘goody bags’
I think I have received more gifts in 2007. Thanks to my family and friends. I especially love the gifts from Edc and Richie, most of them were unexpected ’surprises’. These guys are good! They can really make this girl happy and excited, hehe..and now this girl is craving for more, LOL..you guys started it, hehe. It’s not just me who got goody bags but them as well. I think it has become our (the three of us) tradition to do this every year…excites ourselves with the exchange gifts of goody bags. Some are ‘expected’ but the best part are the hidden surpises in the bags. You’ll never know what you’re gonna get!

2007: the year of the comeback ‘Kit’
He finally did it this time! Kit is back in the motorcross racing again. It was an exciting feeling for me as well, coz it’s the first time that i’ve seen him racing, not just in photographs. I admit it, I had mixed feelings about this, I wanted him to go back to racing, but at the same time scared, because it’s kinna dangerous…accidents might happen you know. But thank God he finished with no broken bones or something…only missing bolts from Hodie, hehe. It’s so exciting to watch these guys race their bikes, and i’m thinking of joing them in the future, but I need my own bike first.

I think I have written enough, whew!…did I say, it’s gonna be short? LOL. But I know there are more stuff to write, i just don’t wanna bore you guys.

2007 is a good year for me and I hope 2008 will be the same as well, even better. 2008, is the year of the rat (in chinese astrology) will it bite?

Thank you very much!

Whew! After patiently waiting for almost a week for this much awaited package from YesAsia.com, it finally arrived…yesterday (and I thought my week of waiting will be devasted of another week of waiting in ‘pain’…it’s a Saturday and there’s no mail services on Sunday!). But they’re here now, my two Spitz cds and dvd are here so i’m very pleased :-)

I’m such a huge fan of this Japanese band called ‘Spitz‘, I just love their music! I’m thinking of putting up a shrine soon…LOL

“It’s so addictive!”

Now I know how people feel when they shop online…it’s very addictive!…especially if there’s a free delivery, but there’s a better offer other than that…the free next day delivery! Wow, those bold letters really made me drool.

The free-next-day-delivery caught my attention when I was browsing online for a pair of sneakers that I’ve been wanting to have a long long loooong time ago. I first went to Tretorn’s official site, yes I can shop online alright but the company is in Sweden and i’m afraid that the cost of shipping would be expensive. The solution…Zappos.com! Oh yes Zappos offers free next day delivery and the best of all they have the pair of tretorn sneakers that I’ve been wanting to have since time immemorial…LOL. First I was just checking…but then again, I decided to buy it at that moment of knowing that there’s only 2 pairs left for my size…I gotta have it! I gotta have it now! The Tretorn Tenny Vinter leather sneakers was purchase on July 4 and it landed on my loving arms the next day…Oh I was on natural high…waaay beyond cloud nine…hehe

I’m on natural high right now, way beyond cloud nine! This afternoon, Kit handed me a small box from the mail and yes folks it’s here! the much awaited Spitz package from YesAsia. Thanks to my good friend Edc who introduced me to that site…from the moment I saw the site, I was hooked! I was like a kid in a candy store (or let’s say, me in a shoe store,LOL)There are lots of Japanese, Chinese, Korean and other asian goodies there! My first purchases were these 2 dvds of my all time favorite (Japanese) band (second to Suede of course, hehe), the Spitz. I can’t believe of the fast shipping! I was expecting it next week, but it’s here now…wooohoo! that was fast! I even beat Kit’s package from ebay,hehe. The excitement didn’t end there,YesAsia also gave me a free gift! it’s a Japanese Mini Toy of my choice, I’ve chosen this anime heroine…But I don’t know from which anime she is…so hmmm.

Our dvd player doesn’t play any region 2 dvds…but that didn’t stop me from watching Spitz. I went straight to my computer and watched it there. I’m pleased, really pleased. The first thing that I watched was ‘Video Clip Chronicle 1991-2001′. It’s a collection of Spitz music videos. And then I proceeded to the next…’Live Chronicle 1991-2000′, which I still have to finish. It includes 31 videos from their concerts! Now, that will keep me busy for some time, hehe. Spitz concerts were awesome. Alot of fans have written so many testimonials about these 2 dvds and they’re right, Spitz can really give a good show.

But anyway, i’m really pleased with my purchase and can’t wait to get more, LOL!

I really don’t know what to write today. It’s been a month since I have written a blog and I feel like that i’ve been neglecting it! Cough, cough! dust and cobwebs everywhere!…ok, ok, enough of that sillyness.

I’ve been really so tired and kinna lazy lately, not just because of my busy schedules at work, but I think this freezing cold weather is affecting me! I’m just glad that I already put up the holiday trimmings before I turned into a complete dormant.

I really don’t like cold weather…and I mean freezing cold weather. It’s like my body freezes up with it! It started snowing yesterday, it was a tremenduous snowfall, with huge snowflakes….it was windy too, and that wind factor really kicked up a notch! I was glad that it didn’t snow all day. I thought yesterday was gonna be all gray and gloomy, but Mr. Sun showed up with blue skies…it was nice.

Fall season just went by, I didn’t even feel it’s presence for a long period of time…it just flew by! And a few weeks from now, winter is here…bummer.

But I’m prepared…at least I think so. I bought a throw yesterday…well two throws, one for me and one for Kit. We will use them to ‘cocoon’ ourselves, hehe. Throws are not popular in the Philippines…of course, but here, it’s a must…at least as an alternative effect for that ‘needed’ additional comfort.

I’m also busy shopping for a really good winter outerwear. I really need to get rid of my old one that I bought last year. The feathers are ’stabbing’ me! It’s a goose down coat. I’m constantly reminding myself not to get a goose-down coat again even though there are so many good ones out there, I guess I was badly traumatized by the ’stabbing’ feeling everytime i wear mine.LOL. Of course that is just an exaggeration.

It’s actually my fault, I only bought that coat because of it’s ‘cuteness’, and forgot to think about the material. The ends of the feathers keep on poking out from the fleece and those sharp ends are no-laughing matter…they hurt! It’s not a good brand anyway. Kit gave me some ideas of good brands out there, they are what I call, the ‘outerwear authority’. But my gosh! they’re so expensive! Especially North Face….L.L. bean and Columbia are not that bad, but I think for the meantime I’m sticking to Lands’ End, hehe. It’s wram, waterproof, windproof and most of all, hundreds less than others charge! hehe.

It was not really a shopping ‘galore’ or that we were in a shopping frenzy mood. But its the call of necessity. We are experiencing a tremenduous heat right now and last night was the last straw. Because of this continuous sweating and dehydration , we just needed to get an airconditioner!
Living in a 1800’s Victorian house, (yes, it’s an antique) we hesitated to get an AC in the past years, because of the scare of overloading the circuits that might cause fire. We just sacrificed ourselves and let the sizzling summer heat (of the previous years) to roast our skin.
Enough of the exaggerations.

This year’s summer was even ‘hotter’ than the previous year, and we just couldn’t handle the heat any more. The ‘call of AC’ has been in our minds for days and after analyzing and thinking of ways to keep the house safe from circuit overload, we found ourselves driving to the nearest 24 hour Walmart and bought that resonably priced AC.

It was already past midnight. We went straight to the AC section and got what we wanted. And anxiously went home.

Installing the AC should not be that hard. But because of our tired condition plus the over powering humidity, it took us hours to finally get it installed and ready for its main purpose. I was silently praying before pressing the ‘on’ button, still scared of what might happened next.
Kudos to us! it worked!

And after pausing for a while to smell that first burst of cool air with that new ‘electronic’ aroma, we headed straight to bed and snooze…it’s 4:30 a.m.!