2011 Survey

Here's my 2009 survey.

Here's my 2010 survey.


In 2011:


Did you do something you would never do?

>>I went white water rafting and ziplining. Two actiivities that I really thought I'd never ever do.

Did you keep any New Year's Resolutions?

>>I never make any so nothing to keep.

Did anyone close to you give birth?

>>No one.

Did anyone close to you die?

>> Yes, a dear friend and faux FIL, Ken died in December.

Did you visit any countries?

>>Yes. Went to Mexico and Costa Rica

What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

>>A child of my own.

Will any date from 2011 stay etched in your memory forever?

>>I can't think of any one particular date.

What was your biggest achievement of 2011?

>>Conquering my fear of heights by going ziplining.

What was your biggest failure?

>>Unable to conceive. Inability to follow a strict diet-exercise plan to lose weight and be healthy.

Did you suffer illness or injury?

>>Epstein Barr, hypothyroidism and low iron level.

What was the best thing you bought in 2011?

>>Maybe not the best, but the most expensive. I finally got a hybrid car.

Did your behaviour changed over the year?

>>I tried to be more sociable.

Where did you spend most of your money?

>>Travels, bills and car purchase.

Are you happier than this time last year?

>>I don't know.

What song will remind you of 2011?

>>Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars

What do you wish you would have done more of?

>> Diet and exercise.

What do you wish you would have done less of?

>>Blogging and tv watching and worrying.

What did/will you do for Christmas 2011?

>>Same thing every year, a day with family.

Did you fall in love in 2011?

>>Yes, I fell in love with Costa Rica.

Did you get your heart broken in 2011?

>>Yes. My fertility treatment/procedure wasn't successful.

Favorite TV program of 2011?

>>Merlin, Haven, Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, and many more.

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

>>Nope

What was the best book you read and/or movie you saw?

>>I haven't read a single book in 2011, which is a pity really. Best movie? Off the top of my head I'd say BIUTIFUL.

What was your greatest discovery?

>>What a fascinating country Costa Rica is and how warm and friendly are its people.

What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?

>> We went to Esperpento for lunch and had glorious tapas then walked off the calories in Mission District.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

>>Having a baby.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2011?

>>I don't have a fashion concept.

FRIENDS:

Who was the best new person you met?

>>I met a few people this year, but Heather is reallhy lovely.

Who did you wish you did not meet?

>>No one.

Who was your bestfriend?

>>My husband

Who was your enemy?

>>Laziness and procrastination.

Who do you miss?

>>My girl friends from high school.

Who will you never forget?

>>The lovely couple from Germany Lars and Andrea who we met in Costa Rica.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

>>Just Do It, or you'll run out of time.

What will you always remember about 2011?

>>Busy schedules, church meetings, church activities, church plannings.

ASPIRATIONS FOR 2012:

What do you want to do in 2012 that you couldn't in 2011?

>>Have a baby..

Any resolutions?

>>Walk, move, exercise.

What is different about 2012 than 2011?

>>Lots of good things, I hope.

Anything you want to change about yourself for 2012?

>>Reinvent myself by adopting a new positive attitude towards life.

Do you want to make more friends in 2012?

>>Absolutely!

Three-Day Weekend is Over

The three-day weekend, aka Christmas Holiday, is over and here's how I spent it:

• We spent Saturday cooking and vacumming the house, even though I wasn't expecting anyone. 
• Attended a little party at a friend's house.  While sipping wine and munching on delicious cheese we were talking about the woeful state of our city's economy and the blunders our city managers have made regarding some projects.  Boy did I feel so adult that time :)
• Immediately after leaving the party, went to church so I could set up the altar for the 9 pm mass.
• Attended the 9 pm mass.
• Took mother (with hubby) to the 11:30 pm Carols and 12 midnite Catholic service.
• Sunday started with a mass at 9:30 am.  Hubby said we're all massed out for Christmas :)
• Went to brother's house for our annual family Christmas luncheon.  Sadly, there were no shows.  How I hate that :(
• Monday came and we went to drop off presents and some ham and nilaga to our Vietnamese friends.
• Went shopping.  Didn't hit the jackpot as we did last year.  Not many things were on sale this year, or did we just start very late in the day and the shelves were nearly empty.
• Stopped at Trader Joe's hoping we'd find a stollen.  We always have stollen for Christmas since we got married.  We have it for breakfast on the 24th.  Not this year as we forgot to buy it, because we didn't go to Cost Plus.  But they didn't have it anymore.
• Ate nilage for dinner while watching our Netflix rental the ZOOKEEPER.

Now am back to work and we're all fogged up here.  Once the fog burns out later, we'd see a high of 60F, which is really really good for this time of the year.

Dreamland

Last night I had a dream, one that baffles me. I don't dream often, or perhaps I do but only few I still remember when I wake up. This one from last night is one that I remember vividly. I cannot remember the last time when a dream stayed with me all day long.

The setting was in my hometown. That's a guess. How else can my high school girlfriends and I be in one place if not for our hometown. Plus the people in my dream actually still live in my hometown.

So it began as a group of us girls were heading to the library as my friend, the main character of this dream, was to return a VHS tape and borrow another one. Yes, you heard that right VHS. In the dream I didn't put too much emphasis on VHS versus DVD. Why not DVD?

The other girls in the dream had no speaking part. They just loiter around us, browsing at the shelves. I know 3 of them. However, I know there were more with us than those three girls.

Anyway, the main character told me that she and her husband have split up! That she wants my opinion on this new guy she's eyeing! OMG! Totally out of character!

I must have said something to her when she dropped the bomb on me, but I don't remember. All I could remember was how could they break up when they were the most solid partnership in our group. And I don't know where the phrase "solid partnership" came from.

Now in my waking state granted that I've only been fully awake for 3 hours, the dream has been occupying my thoughts. I don't want to put too much stock on a dream. What did Freud say about dreams anyway? He said they represent wish fulfillment.

It cannot be my wish fulfillment. Absolutely not! I love them, their first-born is my godchild. Oh lordy, what a baffling dream so close to Christmas.

What Have I Been Up To?

Or a little update from my side of the universe :)

• My son (the cat) and I made creme de menthe cookie truffle on Monday night.  It's a recipe I found on one of the blogs I read regularly and she featured this little treat.  When I read the ingredients and the procedure, I thought it was easy.  Turned out it was easy to make.  Except that I am not really good in the kitchen.  The truffles can be made prettier - you know balls can be made rounder - but they taste wonderful.  My husband and I decided this would be the chocolate item we would participate in next year's CHOCOLATE EXTRAVAGANZA, a church fundraiser. 
• I almost got run off my lane by an unattentive driver.  I was so shocked.  Luckily no one was hurt and he got control of his pick-up before it's too late.  Thank God.
• Up until 2 days ago, the host of our annual family Christmas luncheon was not fixed.  I was getting anxious that I might host it two years in a row.  Thankfully, my SIL came to the rescue and said she's hosting it.  It's really her turn anyway :)
• We lost a dear friend of ours a week ago today.  I have written about them here many times.  Ken, the husband, and my adopted FIL died in his sleep and he and his wife have decided not to do anything, no service no funeral.  He chose to be cremated and his ashes will be scattered some in the water because he loved fishing and some will be transported to Wyoming where he was from and where he loved to vacation.  It's sad that his wife is now alone in their house. 
• I seem to have more presents to wrap.  When I thought I was done, there were more items to buy.  I even wrapped presents earlier than usual this year so I can have the remaining days preceding Christmas stress free.
• Can't believe the year is about to close again.  What happened to 2010?

Happy Holidays to one and all.  Have a lovely, peaceful, joyful, and safe celebration.

Thank You Kayni!

Blog pal Kayni proposed an exchange gift and I was one of those who responded to her proposal.  Last week, I received a wonderful package from her and a Christmas card also.  I know I'm not supposed to open it before Christmas, but I couldn't wait any longer.  The minute I opened the package, my little cat Emma zoomed in on the mousie toys. I don't know why she went crazy tearing up the packaging. I was thinking maybe it was spritzed with catnip.  I enjoyed watching her and neither I nor the hubby remembered to capture her joy at getting her mousie.  No video nor images, tsk!

Lookie here what I got:

My loot - not including the cat toys.

I fell head over heels with the artwork of the journal cover. I wonder if it's a copy of a famous painting, anyone knows?

Fancy and whimsical is the design, love it.

This I'm saving for Christmas!!!!

Thank you again, Kayni.

He May Not Love Me After This Weekend

My husband that is.  You see I dragged him to watch BREAKING DAWN Part 1 on Sunday.  He knew we were going to eventually watch it you know.  And he was miserable the entire time.  He couldn't help but make snide remarks throughout the movie, which I don't blame him. I would have spouted the same remarks myself.  The movie was how can I put it mildly, well a waste of time.

But that didn't mean I didn't enjoy my time.  I love the characters.  May be more if I read the books, but even without knowing them thru the books I really embraced them.  I feel like I know them.

When the first movie came up, I was blindsided. I didn't know anything about the movie.  I didn't even bother to watch it on the big screen.  On DVD, I found the story appealing to not only teens but eternally romantics like I am.  So what if the characters are high school students. I  can totally relate to the boy 1 loves girl and girl loves boy 2 situation.  I also can relate to the torn between two lovers scenario.  So this really appealed to me.

So when the second movie came out, I dragged the hubby into the cinema for date night.  He was difficult but I promised him that this would be the only one of the series that we'd pay money to see.  But I lied.  Despite the fact that the second movie was boring, I was eager to see this one too. 

It took a lot of cajoling to get him to agree to see the movie.  Until know I really can't pinpoint what made him change his mind.  I'm guessing he said yes just to shut me up.  Like all husbands do, you know.

However, I must say that subjecting the husband to mushy chick flick about teens is bordering on torture.  I pity him and feel for him. 

But I have to be alert now and find ways to get him to see the Part 2 when it comes. My job is laid out before me. I must prepare. 

My Favorite Movies of the Season

This season is one of the most hectic in the entire year.  Shopping here and there, Christmas parties everywhere. 

In order to restore my sanity, I lean on my old reliables to rejuvenate me.  My old reliable movies that is.  Every Christmas season, networks are filling their slots with holiday movies as the regular shows take a break. 

Here are my favorite Holiday movies of all time, in no particular order:

HOME ALONE:

The last movie I watched in the Philippines before I migrated.  My bff and I watched it in Ali Mall and we halfheartedly watched it.  We were mostly chatting, making the most of our last moments together. 

Every Christmas time, I welcome Kevin to my household like a long lost relative.  Super funny, as I'm sure you all know and agree.

THE SANTA CLAUSE

One of my favorites for a reason: Tim Allen.  I love Tim Allen in his HOME IMPROVEMENT days.  I have not outgrown this family oriented flick.  The little boy who played Tim Allen's son is oh so cute. 

A CHRISTMAS STORY

Wouldn't be Christmas without it.  A mainstay in Holiday fun. 

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

I love, love, love Sandra Bullock in this quintessential chick flick.  I know it's not necessarily marketed as a Holiday movie, but it's set during the Christmas season. 

I'm cuddling with the kitties this weekend hoping one of these movies is on the tube.

So what are you favorite Holiday movies?

Are You Watching?

Oh my lordy, I missed my yearly fall tv posting this year.  Must have been due to my hectic scheduling.  However, despite said busy schedule, I manage to keep up with my tv shows with help from my newly discovered ally:  ON DEMAND. 

My old favorites are back including:

• The Good Wife
• Grey's Anatomy
• House
• Castle
• Desperate Housewives

Now for the newcomers of the season, the freshmen, so to speak, are you watching these?

TERRA NOVA: 
The show begins in the year 2149, a time when all life on planet Earth is threatened with extinction due to dwindling worldwide air quality and overpopulation. It has become virtually impossible for humanity to survive, and almost no vegetation exists. At Hope Plaza, a massive ring shaped structure in Chicago, scientists discover a rift in space-time that allows people to travel 85 million years back in time to the late Cretaceous period of an alternate prehistoric Earth. The Shannon family (father Jim, his wife Elisabeth, and their three children Josh, Maddie, and Zoe) join the Tenth Pilgrimage of settlers to Terra Nova becoming part of the first human colony on the other side of the temporal doorway.

The Shannon Family starts a new life in Terra Nova while dealing with carnivorous dinosaurs and the Sixers, a splinter group of colonists from the Sixth Pilgrimage who are trying to transport all of Terra Nova's resources back to 2149.  (wiki)

ONCE UPON A TIME:
On the wedding day of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (James) (Joshua Dallas), the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla) arrives and delivers an ominous threat about a powerful curse she intends to release upon them. Some time later, a pregnant Snow White is worried about the curse and visits Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle), who issues a prophecy that the Queen's curse will take them all someplace terrible where there will be no happy endings. He also reveals that Snow White's unborn daughter, Emma, will return when she is 28 years old to rescue them, thus beginning the final battle with the Queen. On advice from the Blue Fairy, Geppetto (Tony Amendola) and Pinocchio fashion a wardrobe from a magical tree which will allow one person to escape the Queen's curse. Prince Charming intends for Snow White and their unborn daughter to use the magic tree to escape the curse, but Snow White goes into labor and gives birth to Emma just as the wardrobe is about to be completed. On the day Snow White gives birth to their daughter Emma, the Queen's curse strikes. Prince Charming places their daughter in the magic wardrobe, but is grievously wounded battling the Queen's henchmen. The Queen stands triumphantly over Snow White and Prince Charming as the curse takes them to "someplace horrible."


In present day Boston, Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison) lives a lonely existence working as a bail bondsman and bounty hunter. On her 28th birthday, Emma is approached by a ten-year-old boy who identifies himself as her son, Henry, whom Emma had given up for adoption as a baby. Not wanting a relationship with him, Emma agrees to drive him back to his home in Storybrooke, Maine. Along the way, Henry shows her a large book of fairy tales, insisting that all of the stories in it are real. When they arrive in Storybrooke, Henry informs her that everyone in town is in reality a fairy tale character, exiled by the curse and with no memory of their real identities. This includes his therapist, Dr. Archie Hopper, who is really Jiminy Cricket, and his teacher Mary Margaret Blanchard, who is really Emma's mother Snow White. He claims that time is frozen in Storybrooke, and the people are unable to leave, but that the curse will be broken by Emma since she is the daughter of Prince Charming and Snow White. A skeptical Emma returns Henry to his adoptive mother, the town's mayor who is really the Evil Queen. When Henry soon runs away again, Emma finds him and decides to stay in Storybrooke temporarily. This decision causes the hands of the town clock, previously frozen, to begin moving again.  (WIKI)

REVENGE:
Emily Thorne (Emily VanCamp), whose real name is Amanda Clarke, moves back to The Hamptons to take revenge on the people who caused the death of her father David (James Tupper) and destroyed her family. When she was a little girl, Amanda's father was arrested on trumped-up terrorism charges, and was tried and convicted for treason. He died in prison. Emily feels her life was destroyed; she ended up in juvenile detention and on her 18th birthday inherited the wealth of the company in which her father invested. She changed her name to Emily Thorne and decided to take revenge on the people responsible for her father's downfall.  (wiki)

What are you watching?