We were eating at a restaurant along Escolta earlier with my brother and friends when we came about a very interesting discussion.

How was your 2009?

My bro said it was boring. Another said it was bad because he wasn’t able to come home to his family and suffered several mishaps. Another one said it was fine.

I think it was great!

Not that I won the lottery this year or won the Nobel Prize for Facebook-ing but because I have gotten this far. I have gotten to the end of this eventful year despite the numerous tragedies, crimes and misfortunes that some of us suffered.

“Don’t you think it’s great that we’re all still here, eating at this dingy Savory restaurant, complaining about how awful our food is while others are mourning for lost loved ones and shattered homes?”

2009 will be past, a past that will be a part of history, a history that we would all forget eventually. But let us not forget that without this year, we would not have learned something new. Losses and gains are always part of our lives. We just have to learn to accept and adjust to the reality.

Let us all step into the light and together witness the looming sunrise. There is something new that’s coming ahead. Let’s brace ourselves.

A Happy New Year from Allen Yu and www.allenyuonline.com

Pahabol post lang. I know Christmas is about being with the family and all pero di rin maiiwasan na career should come first. Hindi dahil kailangan natin ng pera kundi dahil may ibang pamilyang mangangailangan ng ating serbisyo.

Kaya sa inyong magtatrabaho kahit Pasko, maraming maraming salamat po. :)

Ilang araw nalang and I’ll be opening gifts na (but I don’t think meron akong gifts. Ako lang ata ang bumibili ng regalo sa bahay na to) :))

So how’s your Christmas going? I hope masaya kayo. This is probably the happiest Christmas season for me kasi my mom went home and the whole family is complete. After 3 or 4 years, kumpleto ulit kami for Christmas at wala masyadong problema. Plus my cute niece is always here kaya nauubos ang time ko ng kakaalaga. Feel na feel ko mag-alaga ng bata. :))

Anyway, since wala na akong masyadong masabi, I’ll just leave you with these fun facts about Christmas. Kahit wag nyo nang basahin, wala din namang kwenta. Filler lang. LOL

my Christmas pic. LOL

Rudolph” was actually created by Montgomery Ward in the late 1930’s for a holiday promotion. The rest is history.

The Nutcracker” is the most famous Christmas ballet.

Jingle Bells” was first written for Thanksgiving and then became one of the most popular Christmas songs.

If you received all of the gifts in the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” you would receive 364 gifts.

The poinsettia plant was brought into the United States from Mexico by Joel Poinsett in the early 1800’s.

Holly berries are poisonous.

Contrary to common belief, poinsettia plants are non-toxic.

Mistletoe was chosen as Oklahoma’s state flower in 1893 and later changed to the state floral emblem.

In 1843, “A Christmas Carol” was written by Charles Dickens in just six weeks.

The first state to recognize the Christmas holiday officially was Alabama.

Christmas became a national holiday in America on June, 26, 1870.

An angel told Mary she was going to have a baby.

Clearing up a common misconception, in Greek, X means Christ. That is where the word “X-Mas” comes from. Not because someone took the “Christ” out of Christmas.

Traditionally, Christmas trees are taken down after Epiphany.

More diamonds are sold around Christmas than any other time of the year.

In Mexico, wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve is said to bring new love in the upcoming year.

So there you go, have a HAPPY HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!

meet Anika, my very adorable niece :)

with siblings and friends

My Professor once shared in class that artists are weird and mysterious. I agree with him. Sabi nya, most of the artists daw have a world of their own. They choose their own style, their own medium and has their own unusual habits. Sabi ko pa, even Edgar Allan Poe wrote while he was drunk. He agreed and added that some even did their job while on drugs. He asked us kung bakit daw ganon ang mga men of art.

My classmates immediately gave me a very suspicious look kasi nga they knew that I am fond of writing. Then I told the class that artists have their “unusual habits” because in order for them to produce an artistic piece, very distinct from anything else, they need to detach themselves from the very predictable and boring reality. They find it in the influence of alcohol or on drugs or while they’re naked. Producing a masterpiece is like death. You never know when it would come and how it would occur.

My Professor agreed again. But after the class, I realized something.

My classmates asked me again if I did any of those “unusual habits” when I’m writing. I searched myself and found nothing.

Yes. I have no unusual habit when I’m doing my art. Maybe that’s why I fail whenever I write.

I once thought of a very good story plot while I was on the jeepney and as soon as I reached home, I immediately grabbed my notebook and started writing. I started off well until when I was halfway through, I stopped. My ideas were very good yet somehow, the way I write it down is boring. So then I stopped there and until now, it still remains unfinished.

I admit, most of what I write lack element and style. Maybe because I do not have that “unusual habit”. I think I have to have an unusual habit from now on.

But I’m not fond of drinking alcohol and neither would I dare use drugs and oh please, I would never fancy writing without my clothes. Baka lahat lang ng maisulat ko e erotic stories. LOL :))

I want to be an artist. I want to write well. I need to find a way to detach myself from the reality and be in my own world.

Yes. Kelangan kong maging autistic when I’m writing. Haha! Kayo ba, are you an artist? If yes, then what’s your unusual habit?

The first time I saw her, I never really liked her. Mukha syang maarte at suplada. Akala ko we’ll never get along well. Pero pagkatapos naming magkatabi sa isang class, click kami agad (parang Hi–Ro). Jec is a colleague in the university and one of my most trusted friends. She’s chubby, I’m skinny. We’re totally opposite from each other but that didn’t prevent us from being great friends. Anyway, since Jec is now in Chicago doing God-knows-what, we constantly chat through Facebook. I-sha-share ko nalang tong really good post nya sa Facebook. Nakaka-relate kasi ako. At sana kayo din. :)

Mayroong dalawang klase ng babae: Una, yung laging napapansin. Pangalawa, yung hindi napapansin. Dun ako sa pangalawa. :)

Ang paghahangad na maging sexy at maganda sa pananaw ng iba ay isang katangian ng ibang kababaihan na mahirap baguhin. Pero kadalasan, nakakalimutan nila na sa bawat paglubog ng araw at paglipas ng panahon, hindi naman yun ang aalalahanin ng mga tao. Kumukupas din ito. OO, marahil sa ngayon ay tatanggap sila ng mga papuri at hahangaan ng marami, pero pagkatapos nun, ano na ang kasunod? Hindi ba’t sila’y maibabaon din naman sa limot? Hindi ako ang pinakamagandang babae sa balat ng lupa, hindi ako hinahabol-habol ng mga kalalakihan, hindi ako binabalingan ng tao pag ako’y nagdaraan at hindi ako kumukuha ng damit sa small sizes at nakakapagsuot ng sleeveless shirts at two-piece bikinis. Ngunit sa lahat ng iyon, ang importante sa akin ngayon ay kung ano ang dala-dala ko sa araw araw. Yun ay ang respeto at pagmamahal ko para sa sarili ko na ngayon ko lamang natutunang ibigay. Wala naman akong kailangan patunayan dahil sa mga taong walang tiwala sa akin, kahit anong gawin ay hindi kailanman magiging sapat sa paningin nila.

Noong nasa Pilipinas ako, kinukutya ako ng marami. Mataba, baboy, pandak, abnormal, at kung anu-ano pang salita ang madalas nilang ibinabato sa akin. At bilang pampalubag loob, sasabihin ko sa sarili ko na okay lang yun at magiging sexy din ako balang araw at hindi na tutuksuhin pa ng iba. Pero pagkatapos non, balik na naman sa dati. Kain dito, lamon don, laklak pa, sige ng sige. Kahit kailan ay hindi ko naramdamang kaya kong makipagsabayan sa iba. Low self-esteem ang tawag ng karamihan. Kulang sa confidence. Kaya araw-araw kailangan kong magsuot ng isang maskarang hindi kayang basahin kung ano ang ikinukubli. Sasabihin kong maganda ko, panalo! Pero yun lang ang mga bagay na gusto kong paniwalaan ng sarili ko. Masakit aminin sa mundo na hindi ko mahal ang sarili ko. Ikinahihiya kong magpaka sosyal at magsuot ng magarang damit at bestida sa kadahilanang matatabunan din naman ako ng iba at hindi babagay ang ganoon sa akin.

Wala akong masamang tinapay na maibabato sa mga naggagandahang kababaihan sa mundo. Sa totoo lang ay kinaiinggitan ko sila at hinahangaan. Meron silang mga katangian na wala sa akin, pero gayunpaman, meron din naman akong kayang gawin na kailanma’y hindi nila mapapantayan. Masyado kong nalugmok. Masyado kong dinamdam ang mga sandaling walang ibang sinasabi ang ibang tao kundi kung ano ang pangit at wala sa akin. Pero naisip ko na hindi lang naman kaseksihan at kagandahan ang magiging pamantayan ng mundo sa kung ano ang kalalabasan ng buhay mo diba? Sana ay itigil na ng ilan ang paggamit sa mga katangiang ito bilang basehan sa pagkatao ng isang tao dahil hindi lang matatapos sa salitang maganda at sexy ang kakayanan nila.

Sana imulat natin ang mga mata natin sa magagandang paraan. Pinagkalooban tayo ng mga paningin upang makita hindi lamang ang mga pangit na bagay, kundi yung mga kaaya-aya din naman. Bawat tao ay may kapintasan, may kakulangan. Walang perpekto. Walang nakakaangat sa iba (dapat). Kaya kung ikaw sa tingin mo nasa iyo ng lahat, at ang ibang tao ay napag-iiwanan mo na, mag-isip ka ulit. Paulit-ulit hanggang sa maisip mong mali ka.

Mataba man ako, hindi man kutis porselana ang balat ko at walang kayang ipagmalaki kundi kung ano ang nilalaman ng isip ko at ng malaki kong puso, masaya ako dahil natutunan kong pahalagahan kung ano ako at natatanggap ko na unit-unti kung ano ang meron ako.
-Jec Tanhueco, Chicago, IL