Friday, January 2, 2009

Don't underestimate the power of doing simple things in life. They might just be the reason why you have a special place in someone's heart.

Happy New Year everyone! Happy 2009! :) How was the start of your year? Was it great? For me, it was superb, one of a kind, indeed. Despite of the rain, everyone still managed to enjoy it. I drank Bailey's all by myself but I wasn't able to finish the bottle. Cheers to '09

I attended two family reunions which I think a great way to start my year. First, we had our Green Party for the Medina Clan. We had lots of games and tons of fun. I won the coin challenge. Our group ended up as second placer in the Amazing Race: Medina Edition. We also had exchange gifts where I received a Hello Kitty pillow from my mom. I didn't know it, swear. After that, we ate and then sang. 2008 was Red; 2009 is Green

I also attended the family reunion of the Galvez-Autea clan. No color coding, this time. We won the longest greeting. We also played Pinoy Henyo. We drank, of course. I had several shots of Margarita, a can of San Mig Light and a shot of Bailey's.

2008, I can say, was really a great and terrific year for me. I have experienced a lot from the Year of the Rat and those experiences instilled a lot of things in me that I will surely bring in the years to come. Leaving year 2008 is really hard in a way that I have a lot of good memories there but I know as year 2009 starts, more exciting events are yet to happen.

I'll give you the highlights of my year 2008.

January
* The Medina clan started the year with a bang by having our annual Family Reunion.
* Of course, the ever stressful thesis that made us all busy.
* It was also the month of the year when I first stepped into the ever prestigious University of the Philippines-Diliman with Ian and Ryan.

February
* I have received my Microsoft Welcome Kit after passing the MCP Exam. Included in the kit are the certificate and the MCP id.
* I was so stressed not just because of our thesis but also with my happy go lucky thesismates.
* Letran had the first ever Dance Concert entitled Exalt showcasing the incredible dancing prowess of the Letran Dance Systems.

March
* The Final Judgment arrived in the form of the oh so nerve-wracking Final Defense. Though we got the Major Revision verdict, still, it was a success.
* My junior year had come to its end.

April
* I wasn't able to join Chillax Crew in our annual summer getaway.
* Several birthday celebrations like Kuya Pau's 20th, Jhen's debut and Kuya Ojie's 21st.
* Kuya Kenneth and Kuya Karl, my US-based cousins, came here for a vacation.
* My cousins in my mom's side had our own bonding moment by having a bowling session at MOA.
* We had a super kaduper fun family outing in Batangas.

May
* David Cook was declared as the first rocker to win the famous American Idol. :)

June
* It was the start of my last year in college.
* The block sectioning was back.
* We had the worst schedule and professors and yet we enjoyed it because Chillax Crew bonded like hell.
* Boston Celtics grabbed the NBA title in a classic match-up against Los Angeles Lakers.

July
* It marked the 3rd year of sweet friendship of Thine Iced.
* We attended our last IT General Assembly.
* We performed troubleshooting for our thesis at Rex's house for two days. I went home super late. Thanks to Ian. :)
* It was my first time to go to Rex's house all by myself.

August
* My first inuman session at Rex's house.
* We celebrated Rex's birthday at Red Box-Trinoma where drinks were everywhere. We really had a blast

September
* I had a simple celebration of my 19th birthday. I invited Chillax to come over. It was so much fun. Super thanks to Ian, Rex, Marco, Cha, Rey and Kel for the gifts.
* We had our second Final Defense and this time, it was a total success. We got No Revision. Job well done to us Ian, Ryan and Jeff.
* Something happened that tested the friendship of Chillax.
* E-Security, a seminar organized by Chillax, was a huge success.

October
* We celebrated Reina's Debut with a Masquerade theme.
* We participated in the La Naval Mass and Procession. T'was our last, actually.
* An enjoying and super fun getaway to escape boredom with Rex, Ian, Lai, Niko and Marco. Watched movie at Podium, ate at El Pueblo and unwind at Starbucks.

November
* The start of my last semester.
* We started our OJT at PNB with Joanne and Niko.

December
* The Interschool Digital Arts Contest was a success.
* We partied, danced and drank like hell during the IT Knights Out at Dolce
* We rocked Letran as we have the Arriba Fest.

It is obvious, my year 2008 was really a blast. Though at some point, I have experienced problems in the different aspects of my life, still, it was a year worth cherishing for. It was more than what I expected it to be.

And now, I'm really looking for a great and wonderful year ahead. I'm really looking forward to my graduation, of course. I'm excited and yet, I feel sad because I know it will be a new world, new environment for me. A lot of changes will soon occur and I hope I could adapt to it right away. I'm still hoping for the non-stop bonding moments of the Chillax Crew which I think, quite impossible because we will become busy searching for jobs.

Chillax Crew - the troop that I have become so attacheded with, the people who always brighten my day, the group that made my college life different and my friends who stayed with me through my happiest and darkest moments. I know, everything will change as soon as we step out of Letran but I don't want to think that we will part our ways too soon. It pains to think that all the bonding moments will be lessened. I will surely miss all the things that we usually do in Letran especially our what-to-do-next moments. But I really do hope that our friendship will still be there, alive and kicking strong as ever, no matter how busy we will become.

I hope that this year will be a better one. Let's make year 2009 a wonderful and fun year. We should all have a positive outlook. Think positive. Despite of all the negative prophecies and vibrations, let's all be positive.

With this, I want to thank all the people who have become part of my year 2008 and who will continue to be part of my life: God, my dad and mom, Ej, relatives and loved ones, Thine Iced, Chillax Crew, friends and those people who continue making my life worthwhile.

Happy New Year again! :) May this year be another fruitful year to all of us. May God continue to shower us and our family all the blessings we truly deserve. Let's always thank Him for everything. And I do hope all the issues will be settled right away. By the way, I'm ready for commitment already so I'm wishing for a colorful lovelife. Hahahaha :D