My Twelve Highlights of Year 2012

The Year 2012 is all about the three most important treasures of my life - Family, Career and Friends.  Started the year with a new job, gained new friends, reunited with the old, traveled to the new and old places here and abroad and more bonding trips with my family.

With much better outlook in life focusing more on the positives and just brushing off the negatives, I learned to be resilient and put all my trust to God and blessings have kept on coming (aside from gaining weight). (",)With all these great things, I am grateful to our Good Lord for guiding me and being with me all these years.

As I look forward to the surprises that 2013 will bring more to my life, here's my list for my 12 highlights of Year 2012.

1. New Job for 2012

01.12.2012 - I stamped this date as the last day of my five years and eleven months graveyard-to-chaotic-work shift job.  It was a big decision to make as I let go a much fancier pay/post yet much stressful life, free travel abroad (UK to be specific) and  the 6-digit-bonus to embark to my new job at Kapamilya Network.  
01.16.2012 - I joined the Kapamilya network where I discovered how my hobby has become my job! Akin myself to my namesake St. Clare who is known as the saint of TV, I think I've been watching TV since I was born, especially the Kapamilya Network. It was more interesting to find out that I know more of the shows and the programs of the network than my colleagues who have been working in the network years more.  So this is how a job can be fun!  Everything has been interesting and I continue to enjoy learning. 

2. Watched ABS-CBN 4 Live Shows

I proclaimed myself as the most loyal viewer of ABS-CBN since pre-school so being a Kapamilya employee gave me easy access to my favorite ABS-CBN Live Shows.  I won five passes to It's Showtime, able to join Studio Tours twice, watched the 2nd and 3rd episodes of Sarah G Live and saw  how it was hard for artists and people in the production to be working continuously for live and taped episodes.  I got the privilege to watch Gandang Gabi Vice with just a Kapamilya ID hanging on my neck when Gino, Del and Chico, hosts of RX 93.1 The Morning Rush guested on Vice Ganda's show. Finally, I just said it as a joke that I'll resign if I won't be able to watch ASAP 2012 live before my first anniversary but Mel got the passes for me. With that, I made a self-imposed bond with the Kapamilya Network.

And of course, I got every chance to have pictures with my favorite Kapamilya Stars.

with the beautiful stars of Philippine showbusiness

3. I celebrated my birthday in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore

I only had one travel abroad in Year 2012 but filled with many memories and reunions. It was tiring, sleepless yet enjoyable check-in/out of the airports (NAIA 3,KL LCCT, Penang International Airport and Changi Airport) for six times in just 50 hrs.  I found out how a day is enough to spend in a laid back Penang, Malaysia. Then, I experienced how to travel on my own in Kuala Lumpur (I gone there thrice but on business trips).  KL Trip was more of catching up with former work colleagues based in KL and I realized how friendship can stay even though I switched jobs. Then, I spent the first 6 hours of my birthday in KL and then the rest of the day in Singapore.  I blew two birthday candles - at KL Sentral courtesy of Prem and at Singapore courtesy of Joy. Both new acquaintances that became my new friends.  It was also a short-planned reunion with college classmates Gen and Jen as we got fascinated at the crowded Orchard Fashion event and had our humble drinking session along Singapore River while enjoying the sounds of the sophisticated bars nearby for free.

4. Bonding Trips with my Family and Loved Relatives

Year 2012 was the year of making up for the lost time for my family because of my non-base-Philippine work schedule and holidays.  With PH holidays, it gave me more flexible time to spent it with my family and had more time travelling with them.  It was our first time to be together and spent the Holy Week in our home in the province.  Then, I took my cousins, nieces, nephews and aunts to some historical places in Manila like Manila Zoo, National Museuma nd Rizal Park.  In early December, we spent our pre-Christmas celebration with our closest relative in Subic.  I cannot bargain the genuine happy faces of my family and relatives together.

5. Being a self-proclaimed travel organizer, I made one for my Nanay & Tatay for their first trip together to Bohol

For my Tatay's birthday last March 2012, I & my sister, Aileen, arranged a vacation for our parents in Bohol.  With my lifetime membership from Travel & Leisure, I got some discounts for travel package inclusive of airport transfers, countryside and city tour, buffet lunch on cruise Loboc River and overnight accommodation with buffet breakfast at Dumaluan Beach Resort.  They enjoyed the tour so much that my mother spent Php1,000 for the pictures on-site of tourist spots (though they have my digicam of which I had to give them instructions how to use it). She said she wanted to get the printed photos right away and not just to keep looking at it on the computers.  True enough, when I visited home in Bacolod, their pictures of Tatay are everywhere in the house - with the Snake, with tarsiers, on the cruise of Loboc and somewhat like pre-nup photos in Chocolate Hills.



6. Got to feel one of my dream destinations, Santorini, in Bellarocca!

There's a saying that practice makes one perfect! For me, in travelling, themed-like destination is also like a gateway to dream destination.  Santorini in Greece has always been a dream for me, how picturesque for the blueish of the ocean and the sky blend with the white stoned houses - perfect place of solitude and beauty.  Just like with my collection of variety of stuffs of Eiffel Tower (from stickers, clips, Ipad case, notepads, etc), I've been chasing this dream as well.


7. I discovered the beauty of Davao and it's richness in History

Without an inclination to join this trip because of my new job, I finally said yes at last minute.  Davao trip was a discovery for me! From my closest to the sea accommodation in Pearl Farm Resort to another visit to my Geography and History class as we went around different tourist destinations in Davao, from the colorful and vibrant festivities of Kadayawan Festivals to our share of scary folklore experience in Samal Island, I'd say, "It's More Fun in the Philippines!"

anywhere in Davao City

Kadayawan Festival

anywhere in Samal Island

8. My Bravest Adventure (so far) - Giant Waterslide in Samal Island

Amidst the heart ailment (which I don't take seriously!), I unleashed my fears again and took bunch of my powerful confidence and slide towards the open sea! It was worth the risk and the excitement!!

Samal's Giant Slide (the first in Asia) that drops you to the sea!

9. I spent one day in 15th Century

With my ever reliable travel buddies, getting best deals are like peanuts (a Filipino cliche!)So easy! Got a good deal to spend a weekend at the promising Bataan. Staying at Casa Las Filipinas de Azucar is like spending a day in Spanish era.  This is like putting the 15th century in a setting ground surrounded by the 2oth century beautified mountains and ocean - where different heritage, culture and tradition meet with the new centuries people in one place! The most memorable thing of this trip was how five ladies got the courage to drive the curvest of the roads as we go along the route to Subic with only GPS on hand! Who needs a man at that moment?! LoL!

10.  Year 2012 is like a new leaf for me - I met new friends, gained more and I played a mentor to some. 

I always find it fascinating meeting new people and knowing more about them.  It's more wonderful if they become my friends.  Also, with my new role now, I'm more excited to mentor these young professionals with eyes full of eagerness to learn new things!  I pray to God that I can be an effective instrument for them as they work for their dreams too.  Inspiring them is more than enough.


11.  This year I got more blog entries than ever - I'd say I get back my life then.

My new job gave me back my other passion in life such as writing - this is my true definition of work-life balance.  

12. And, I got Lance!


This is my motivating trophy to be always at my best!

As I start 2013 with a solitary travel to Korea for 10-days, I am looking forward to a new learnings, new discoveries and new experiences.

Thank you Dear God for all the blessings and being with me.. ALL THE TIME!