next 10 updates

continuation of my hodge-podge reposts. i'm also doing this since i want to be reminded of my progress, or regression, on them - an actual example of the process of achieving one's goals.

here's #s 11-20

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11. read books - just fixed them over the holy week, sort of inventory (2 mos. in), finished "surreality" by carissa villacorta. will start with anne rice's witch chronicles (4 mos. in), status quo (2 1/2 mos. after my bday)

12. financial stuff - an officemate invited me to be involved but haven't had free nights to match their sked (2 mos. in), had attended a public 'symposium' and a private consultation but no follow up meetings yet (inertia from my end) (4 mos. in), bought a manulife freedom 20+ (sort of pension plan) (2 1/2 mos. after my bday)

13. diamond peel/teeth whitening - inquired but teeth whitening is expensive so might opt for diamond peel (2 mos. in), diamond peel plans with pie, teeth whitening plans with ate rica (4 mos. in), still plans... (2 1/2 mos. after my bday)

14. family vacation - davao, summer sked (2 mos. in), still as suggestions (4 mos. in), none yet. busy skeds (2 1/2 mos. after my bday)

15. korean language - learned the korean characters and some basic phrases, can read and write but still wary about the exceptions to the rule. mind you, can read, but can't understand pa (2 mos. in), need to review on the phrases and how to decode faster. "aigoo!" (hay naku!) (4 mos. in), starting to study via youtube. hihi (2 1/2 mos. after my bday)

16. retreat - by july (2 mos. in), ld alumni retreat slated for july, might consider rcw at cefam (4 mos. in), enneagram this jan 9-11, on fire on valentine's (2 1/2 mos. after my bday)

17. executive check-up - nada... (2 mos. in), to schedule by 3rd week of june if possible (4 mos. in), no funding yet, but much needed... (2 1/2 mos. after my bday)

18. mama's facilitating projects - she's enjoying being a stay-at-home mom at the moment (2 mos. in), might replace this with helping out in sped association symposia (4 mos. in), *changed to sped group involvement* haven't contacted ADHD society yet (2 1/2 mos. after my bday)

19. baga - 1st meeting after the holy week is on apr 2 (2 mos. in), next one is on june 18 (4 mos. in), realized it's not my cup of tea. no alternative yet (2 1/2 mos. after my bday)

20. amazing philippine theater - not inquired yet (2 mos. in), can't seem to find contact details. might check out "the library" in lieu of this (4 mos. in), club mwah plans in 2009 (2 1/2 mos. after my bday)

30 things to do before i hit 30

a repost from multiply. the original was posted there last feb 5, 2008.

my audacious list 8 months before i turned 30. as they say, you have to dream big to achieve lots. the achieve-lots part is the harder part...

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i've actually mentioned this in my friendster shoutout. also, they say that for things to happen, you have to write them down so that you'll always see them and commit to fulfill them. so here goes...

1. i love scrapbooking, when i have time. so, update my hard copy photo album
2. complete my savings account quota. i've fallen a little behind on this
3. grow my hair long, but not yet sure if straight and black or curly and colored
4. go out of town or do some cultural thing quarterly
5. learn to drive
6. be active in basa, a group focused on reading workshops
7. exercise regularly (currently, this is done at home with exercise machines)
8. attend a ddi facilitation skills workshop
9. shop for key pieces to complete my wardrobe
10. watch an imax movie at mall of asia
11. read books in my possession that i haven't opened yet
12. enter into financial stuff, like mutual funds or something
13. try a diamond peel or teeth whitening. at least, it's not a tattoo or a piercing
14. family vacation in davao or palawan
15. learn basic korean (conversational and hangul or writing)
16. attend another retreat
17. undergo an executive check-up
18. join mama in her facilitating projects to hone my facilitating skills
19. regularly meet ld people for baga sessions. they're kamustahan venues
20. watch something from the amazing philippine theater
21. reconnect with friends from school or work (especially the ones i've "lost" along the way)
22. augment my income with another racket / business
23. be more open to meeting friends of friends
24. stabilize my monthly pampering treatments (whether spa or salon)
25. re-read the ld manual from my time. do examen
26. donate blood
27. communicate deeper with God
28. go ice-skating
29. be active in the ld faci pool
30. go back to writing thoughts on paper / blogging

pleasant surprise

during my growing years, i would spend a lot of time reading. sometimes mandatory, as instructed by my dad for my home-made summer "classes", while other times leisurely. i'd be (actually i still am) surrounded by encyclopedias, filipino-culture stories, bible storybooks, biographies, classic literary stories, other topic-specific books and fairytales. but i'm most fond of the books from adarna house that we have.

adarna house is the largest publisher of filipino children's books. it's been around for 30 years and has a vast collection of topics one can choose from. they have certain sets for pre-school or elementary education (from different shapes and colors to an introduction to filipino presidents). they also have contemporary and classic filipino stories.

my mom bought a handful of adarna books when i was young and added more when my brother and sister came along. i would go to them for information that i needed for homework during my school days. and even when i was working as a teacher, i found them very helpful when story-telling time came or when i needed pictures or activities (some books had an activity or two at the end - like mazes, puzzles or matching). some of the original adarna books that we had growing up are actually still with me. i love the simplicity of the words on some of them, and the floweriness on others. i also love the illustrations that go with them.

it was a pleasant surprise when i met an actual author of one - my previous officemate, nikki dy-liacco. she wrote "the yellow paperclip with bright purple spots". this had cute illustrations by may ann licudine. it talked about a unique paperclip going to places and experiencing a lot of things. dare i say, i was actually reminded of it when i saw the travelling gnome in "amelie", which i've only seen last 2009 - a year after i read the book. i found it a good read and was very happy for nikki that it got the 2005 pbby salanga grand prize. and like a true fan, i had my copy autographed by her. hahaha!  but it was cute that she greeted me in korean (a topic we get to talk a lot about) and it was so sweet of her to write that i was just as unique and colorful as the yellow paperclip . it is one of my most treasured books in my collection. :D