Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open.

Now I can write about it (because I think I'm a better writer than a speaker and because I've realized that tributes should be given to people while they're alive, not when they're dead).

There's not a lot of people who would use the words cool and awesome on their bosses, but I'm one of them. I must say I'm really blessed to get Obi Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Mr. Miyagi and Dino Tengco rolled into one!

He is many things to many people and I've seen him go out of his way to ensure the happiness of those he cares about.  To me he is a giver of wisdom, knowledge and alcohol.  He's primarily a boss who morphs into a brother figure, friend and life coach slash drinking buddy. His is the voice that challenges me to do better everytime, in everything (surprise parties included). 

His 40th was an opportunity for me to give him something in return in my own little way. Not only because he asked for it, but also because he deserved it. When he first said he wanted a surprise party, I remember shrugging it off and thinking to myself: that's a tall order. Imagine having to pull-off a surprise event for a guy who organizes surprise events? It's like getting hired to be Michael Schumacher's family driver.

As his birthday drew closer, it became clearer to me that I was really going to have to do it for him. Not that I needed to be pushed to do so. I wanted to do it, too.  I just wished I could execute it the way I envisioned it, but of course, we did have certain limitations. It's great that someone came forward to fund it (hehe) and sort of initiate it.

For all that he is and for all that he is not, I want to see him happy and I'm glad to have had the chance to do this for him. That night felt like what he probably feels everytime he does something for someone -- that genuine feeling of happiness in making someone feel appreciated and loved.  He may have had another agenda in pushing for his own surprise party, but I guess we all had our own takeaways after everything's said and done. :)

Few can say that they have superiors who can put up with their quirks. I know I have to put up with his occasionally, but he really doesn't have to deal with mine... and yet he does. Honestly, it could be a bit hard to get to me. I'm not exactly easy to get close to, but if people get to me, they get me for life... but this does not pertain to an employment contract. If that whirlwind romance happens, I can't promise anything anymore. HAHAHA. Anyway, even if I don't agree with some of the choices that he makes, just like all of my friends, I will always have his back. That's not to say I'll turn a blind eye - he will also always have a piece of my mind whether he likes it or not (because I'm stubborn this way), but nonetheless, right or wrong, I'm on his side... because Robin will never leave Batman no matter what.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

It's the time of the month...

for sappy love songs. Yes, sappy love songs. It's one of 'em days. I couldn't work without music and I couldn't work with my usual playlist. So today, it has to be sappy. It just has to be. I have to listen to random lyrical depression and stay silent and sullen, taking in the quiet, reflective mood as if the lyrics spoke of my life story. Until I realized, it doesn't. It's quite depressing that I have nothing to be depressed about, so I'm in a funk for the sake of being in a funk, just because the universe calls for it. Nothing is really wrong. Nothing is amiss. It's just the way it is... for the next five to seven days at best. No one is allowed to be giddy happy all the time. There has to be a dip somewhere and this is it.

In between emails and phone calls are my iPod and Twitter. And in between them is blogger as a form of release. I have to qualify that my brand of sappy isn't as sappy as your brand of sappy. I'm not listening to Kenny Loggins or Bread or Martin Nievera. Mawkish music is brought to me by bands like Switchfoot, Aqualung, The Script, One Republic, Daniel Powter, Dashboard Confessional and the like, and they put me in a pensive mood, seriously. Songs like this one, playing on my iPod now:

Dare You To Move

Switchfoot

Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here

Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next?
What happens next?

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift
Yourself up off by the floor

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before

Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
The tension is here

Between who you are
And who you could be
Between how it is
And how it should be yeah

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift
Yourself up off by the floor

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself
To lift yourself up off by the floor

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened before

I need ANOTHER trip to the beach.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Hi, 2012!

I realized that I haven't written my yearender for 2011.  And with that realization, I shall take no action! Haha. The questionnaire I usually answer now seems boring to me so I'll probably just summarize it.

2011 was a relatively great year. My social life was busier, and liver more hardworking than ever. I've always said that I might have just a few friends, but the ones I have are all I need. And this still remains true. I've met new people, but I've been closer to my inner circle. My friends have always been there for me through the years, and after more than a decade, I didn't think we could grow closer than we already were.  But in 2011, we did. I think it was a year of strengthening relationships. I bonded with a lot of people and in the process, discovered a lot about myself, too.  In 2011, I've had a lot of realizations and have become more open to things and feelings that I wasn't keen on acknowledging before. I learned how to enjoy moments, live in the present and forget about the future for a while.

There were those nights spent in the company of good friends where we'd get just a little buzzed but nonetheless drunk in good conversation, long talks and endless laughter, some of them ending just before the sun rose. 12 days after we welcomed 2011, I fell on my knees on the streets of Burgos Circle, inebriated and a little bit high, giddy, happy and shameless. I gathered all the confidence in me, stood up, held the hands of my friends, laughed a bit, took a few steps and then fell again. So we repeated the procedure: Gathered confidence, held the hands of friends, laughed a bit... took a few steps, successfully entered the bar, went up the stairs and fell on my knees again. I fell thrice in one night, all those times I got up and laughed. This was pretty much how I dealt with life's blows in 2011: I gave myself a chance to laugh at... myself each time I fell and then I rose from the fall like nothing happened.  Having the ability to laugh at myself eases the blows and in some way provides an outlet for me to acknowledge my misgivings in a way that I'm comfortable with.

I celebrated my 28th birthday in Boracay, my happy place, and it was one of the memorable moments I had in 2011. At the stroke of midnight, I was in the company of good friends having drinks by the beach coupled with an awesome party playlist, walking, dancing and skipping on the shore while I spoke to my family and friends on the phone. I couldn't have done it better. Until now, I smile whenever I remember the good times.

Then there were the epic trips to Batangas and Bacolod with the Barracudas, Cebu, Naga and Singapore for work, weddings, bridal showers, trips to Tagaytay every now and then, Thirstdays (and all the other days), BF Hits, Resorts World, Nuvali, Walking Tours of Manila etc. with the GGirls, Mercato / Banchetto / Foodtown and Soderno nights, the one-on-one nights at Gweilo, Agave, Eastwood, everywhere else (I swear even Tomas Morato AND Strumm's), including of course that Tiendesitas night that started in Hap Chan and ended in Jollibee with my not-so-horrible boss, Breakfast Club mornings, Pilipinas Tara Na shooting nights and day meetings, the food trips after and the great search for balut footage at 4 in the morning, the crazy family gatherings, wine nights, Starbucks nights, movie nights, the concerts (Incubus, Justin Bieber... SIDE A (don't you even!))... so yeah, that's pretty much how I spent my year. Fun, yes?

For the most part, yes, except for a last-minute mom scare which still ended well. 2011 was a pretty good year for me and as with every year that ended and a new one began, I'm thankful for all the people in my life: A wonderful family filled with so much love, laughter, drama and annoyance; a crazy set of friends who always talks sense into me then takes it away; and work, work and more work, including all the people who love me and all the people who hate me at work - the feeling is mutual. I love and hate them, too! :)

Twenty Twelve, just by the way we say it, already sounds so much fun. I heard it's a good year for most of the signs, astrology-wise. May the stars align and make it our best yet.

LET'S DO THIS! :)

>>>>>>>>

"A family that does not give up on each other because love reigns among us."

Today's tears-in-my-eyes moment was brought to me by my Lola. I only knew one grandmother, my dad's mom, since my mother's mother already passed away long before I was born. When Wawa was alive, I was able to express my appreciation to her countless times -- for giving birth to my father, raising him well and teaching him to raise me well, too.  A lot of the things that shaped who I am now was influenced by Wawa and Wowo. Unlike some children who've had broken families, absentee or overprotective parents, my cousins and I were never out of love. We were taught that family was indispensable. It's the only thing constant in the world. This is why I could never understand family feuds, siblings who fight with each other much less kill each other or parents who create factions among their children. What the fuck are they talking about? We were taught that whatever happens, wrong or right, our family will always be behind us.

On the occasion of Wawa's birthday (Jan. 14), one of our aunts posted her speech during her 85th birthday in 2005. I remember that this was the first big event that I hosted. I was 22 years old.  Reading the speech, you will see how Wawa was very much the head of the family that she was. Our guiding strength. I love and I miss you so terribly! :(

Remarks by Ofelia C. Mirasol,  January 14, 2005

Good evening to all of you!

They say that life begins at 40, 50, 60, 70 or 80 but to me life begins at 85. They say that if you have long ears, you will live a long life. They say that the bad grass never die...When I look at the mirror and see my ears, "Oh my God! Will I live long and am I as bad as I am supposed to be?"

But the Lord is in charge because my life was chartered before I was born. Thy will be done Lord! If I still have a mission, I'll take it willingly as I have done your command -- "Go forth and multiply." Thanks to Adam and Eve. When Joe and I started, we had nothing on but ourselves and now we have 7 children, 21 apos and apos sa tuhod and still counting.

Growing older is a beautiful experience. I began to appreciate the value of life, the joy of living. I won't stay long for I am not strong as in my youth, having fun, playing tennis and pelota, bowling, swimming and jogging three kilometers a day. My eyes are getting dimmer, my knees getting weaker. Names and places I can't even remember. It is but natural and rational that everyone must go home soon like a sailor coming home from his journey.

My job is done! These years are bonus years for me. Thank you, Lord, for guiding and protecting me. Healing Marilyn, one of my dauthers from the big C and guiding my grandson Dino.

Great is your mercy, your blessing plenty. I give my thanks to all of you, relatives and friends especially to a very, very good friend so caring and true. To Msgr. Jose for our friendship all these years, a good chaplain to our CFM group and was the moving spirit in the construction of the Divine Mercy Shrine in Mandaluyong.

\

Papa, I know you are with us tonight, against all odds we were able to raise our children well to be the persons they are now, gave them the best education we could have afforded.

To my children who made this affair possible, to my daughters-in-law Jane and Matett, sons-in-law Jun, Willie, Tek and Aaron, I love you all. You have been very good to me. You are my precious possessions... A family that finds its glory not in its perfection but in its ability to weather the storms of life. A family that does not give up on each other because love reigns among us.

Thank you to the singers. They got their talents from their genes. Maybe 10% of it from my father and mother because during their youth, they were very much involved in the zarzuelas. All of these children are members of the choir in the parish of Mandaluyong and in their respective parishes now. Maki took lessons from the Pop Center of the Philippines and Dida from the Yamaha Music School.

Good night everybody, thank you for coming.

Nay to the naysayers. I only have to answer to myself (and my immediate superiors). And I type this with a smile on my face.

I feel the judgment from some people who probably don't think I'm doing my job well. Honestly, I recognize that they have the right to do so. Anyone can judge, complain or criticize when they think that things are in disarray. I just hope they also take time to see beneath the surface and not take everything at face value. I also don't appreciate how one's opinion becomes another's, a sort of collective thinking that they eventually believe to be the truth. I've already said that I'm often not confrontational, and in this instance, I also don't see the necessity of explaining myself and using up all that energy. I acknowledge that I have misgivings from time to time because no one's perfect. But it's not like I party all night and not go to work the next day. I work hard and party hard. Oftentimes, the gigs after work even seem like a reward, like I deserve it, because I worked. So I really don't need to explain myself to any of them. Call me arrogant but there are many ways of fixing things. I'm way younger but I sometimes feel like I'm way older in thinking. THEIR way isn't helping at all. It's not helping improve the organization; it could even be stunting its growth. Unfortunately, we'll have to live with it because it's too late to take it out of the system.

Damned if you and damned if you don't. So the best resort is to keep the peace. WWJD (what would Joy do)? LAUGH. My seven years of passion for excellence is supported by a sense of responsiblity and an even greater sense of humor, without which work becomes an unbearable blackhole that will suck the life out of us and drive us to insanity.

And yes, thank God for Beer.

*Blogging via mobile on my bed in Boracay Beach Club. HELLS YEAH!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>