Last blog for 2009 - looking back this year..

Happy New Year to all!!

In less than an hour, we will be heading towards another new year, 2010. For most people they usually celebrated it with a big bang, but for some a simple get together would be enough. Obviously right now, I'm home since I was able to blog but I'm looking forward to taking shots of the fireworks & Blue Moon later (if they can be seen from here). Time is running fast and I should keep my courage up in facing another year like the way I did this year. Life may have its own ups and downs and every now and then we encountered some bumps in life but what's there to worry about if God has always given us challenges we can handle, right? So whatever hurdles they may be, face it with your head up high.

Enough said, looking back to the things that happened this year 2009. For the first half of the year, I together with some of my friends have been busy preparing for our board exam. Work + Review Classes definitely is not easy! We have to budget time and money for it, I have go on leave for 2 months to stay in Manila for the drafting class and the exam itself. It's a good thing that I have Jufang and some friends (who's taking the exam), laptop & internet connection plus the malls & churches, 2 months wasn't that long. :) Well the sad part is that when I got home, my account is zero balance. Another hard part was the one month long wait for the result, trust me, as the days goes by you'll think of anything negative about it and blame yourself and so on. But friends always reminded me to think positive and that they're sure I did good, lucky for me they were right! I did it! I'm now a Registered and Licensed Architect, not only me but also Jufang and our friends who took it. Some were uncertain when hearing that the two of us (couple) took it at the same time because according to them when a couple take the board exam together, the other one will always fail. Consider the curse broken since it didn't happen to us on our first take. 

Positive things have been out for me, after the result we got our evaluation in the office. Mine wasn't very high but it's good enough to bring me to my position, I was promoted to Office Manager & Team Leader in our office. Feels great because I know my salary will be adjusted but it comes with a really BIG responsibility, though I love working under pressure I'm not always conditioned to do that since I have some health issues. So for next year, I really need to work better and let them see that they didn't make the wrong choice. ^^, By the way, because of my work I'd get to travel also this year.

As I'm keeping my faith in God strong, I'm keeping my ties strong with my family and friends. Due to board exam, work, financial matters and conflict in schedule, I wasn't able to have time for it that much but at least I tried to make the most of what I got this year. And I'm happy about it, that way I won't have to think and regret the time lost. I also had the courage to buy myself my dream camera (another swipe of the card!), Canon Powershot SX10 IS, call it a gift to myself after passing the board exam. :) Photography will be one thing I will be focusing on next year, I wanted it to be more than a hobby to me. 

Health Conscious? not much for the first half but when we went to Manila we started with the gym & swimming, had oatmeal and cereal too. Then it stopped when we got back around July, luckily with some encouragement by friends & Jufang, this last 2 months of the year we started jogging, back to cereal & oatmeal and I started with the half rice lunch & only fruits for dinner. I need to check my weight later if everything was according to plan.. hehe excuses because it's the holidays will not be entertained! It's a good start and I should continue it next year so I could trim down my weight and slim down.

Another hobby is my Havaianas Collection,  this year I got 42 pairs which is lesser compared to the 60 pairs I got last year. yipee!! But even if I add some pairs that haven't arrived, last year was still way more, I couldn't imagine that's how much I have bought. Anyway, I'm happy with it and hopefully next year there will be more limited edition pairs especially the new world cup series and I plan to buy some more of the bag collection they launched late this year. Shopping has always been a part of me so people should get used to it.. lol 

To sum it all up, I have really been blessed this year. :) I pray we will still have more blessings next year because my life has been good, oh not just good but my life has really been great this year! My relationships with the people, career, health, love, some of my questions have been answered this year also. I'm really thankful for everything that happened this year, whether positive or negative it will surely mold me into a better person. Next year I should be listing down things that happened to me every month to make it sound more interesting and detailed. By the way it's still raining here as my entry will come to an end (It has been raining for hours even before I started blogging), I think that this is one of the first blessing from above to welcome the new year. 

For those who thought things didn't go there way this year, always keep in mind that

there will always be a brighter tomorrow!

So thanks to all who have been with me!

It will be another long year ahead so I bid adieu to 2009 and come on 2010, bring it on! 

Let the year of the tiger begin!

Again, Happy New Year! ^^