Spitfire.

Things to be thankful for.  2008.

 

1.     I was relatively healthy this year.  I don’t think I got severe pus on my tonsils.

2.     Bought my first Mac. (oooooh!) Yes, Angie Pollux, my MBP.

3.     Fixed my room clean.

4.     Renovated the den. J  I’m very proud of this.  This room was a MESS to put it bluntly.

5.     Purchased an LCD tv. …for the newly renovated den. J

6.     Got to travel.  Always a joy and a luxury.  (Thank you, Lord.)  Locally (Coron, Galera, Batangas, Tagaytay, Bolinao, Subic, Nueva Ecija, Southern Leyte, Boracay) and to nearby countries (Palau, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Hong Kong).  Chely and I promised to see Angkor Wat in 2008, and we did.  2009, maghanda ka sakin.

7.     New passport!  Hehe…

8.     Flew an airplane to a different country all by myself.  A first.

9.     I got to join a marine expedition; lived for a month alone with strangers of a different country, in a secluded town at the tip of Southern Leyte; studied and surveyed corals, fish, and all sorts of marine life; slept in a room with lots of creepy crawlies; a month with no real functioning toilet...  My beautiful Coral Cay Conservation Marine Expedition experience.  Loved it.

10.   I got to dive with SHARKS!! J

11.   The Eheads reunion concert… na nag simula lang sa traffic drive-home from Nueva Ecija. ;)  The Secret!

12.   Rum-coke/ coke-rum, and the likes.  Ah, yes.  Found Tanduay this year.  No, I still don’t like beer.

13.   I grew-up a lot this year -- taking care of the household more or less.  I’m thankful because I know I’m better kahit na stress.

14.   Started seriously running again. 

15.   Got to play basketball! J  

16.   Had lots of massages this year.

17.   OMG my own underwater video housing set-up!!!! (Arriving tomorrow! EEK! cluelessly excited.)

18.   Got to work on good projects this year.

19.   Hosted a few parties at home that were actually fun.  ‘wow.’

20.   Got to dream a lot during 2008.  Made lots of plans and possible projects this and that.  Let’s see what pushes through.

21.   New jeans.  Believe me, if you were me, you’d understand how this would be an achievement for the year.

22.   Got involved in Rock Ed again.

23.   Friends.  Found new ones, and rediscovered a few.

24.   Family.  (At the end of the day, they're all you've got really...)

25.   Memories.  (...and these.)

26.   Got to bring Chely out diving. …and traveling, in general.  Stupid clean fun.  Happiest times.

27.   Money.  Gift from the heavens.

 

27...  Not bad for a year that brought a lot of emotional shit in my life.

A year ago, as 2008 entered, a friend tagged it as “Deng’s comeback year.”  Now I look back and ask, why, where did I go?  To be honest, I am as in a new place as I have ever been.  2008 was not a year for comebacks.  Although, #11 was a blast.  No.  2008 was a year of exploration.  It wasn’t my comeback year.  How could I come back to a person I’ve never been?  2008 was more of “Deng’s first steps, all alone, into many unknowns.”  It was a year of discoveries I haven’t fully understood yet.  A year of unpredictability.  Oh it battered me good and hard.  Very hard.  But I seem to be still here.  Hopeful.  Lastly, 2008 was a year of letting go… realizing I had NO control over MANY things.  (Let me just get that through my psyche one more time, darnit.) 

No, 2008 was not my comeback year.  It was my year of change. 

Perhaps 2009 will be a year of figuring out all these changes and new possibilities, and making clear actions.  Perhaps 2009 will be “Deng’s comeback year from the unknown.”  Perhaps 2009 will simply be “Deng’s ME year.”  Yep.  I go with the last one.  Sounds vague and promising enough.  As most resolutions are anyway.  Good luck and God bless us all.