Cute Blogger Award

I would like to thank Iris of The Search for Wellness   for this award.  Sorry it took me so long to accept it. ;)

 Here are the rules of this award: 

1. Each blogger must post these rules.
2. Each blogger starts with ten random facts/habits about themselves.
3. Blogger that are tagged, need to write ten facts about themselves. You need to choose ten people to tag and list their names.

Here are the 10 Random Facts/ Habits About Me:

1. I am a toiletries and makeup aficionado.  I scrimp on clothes and shoes but cannot resist lotions, shampoos, and everything on Watsons, Essenses, and Beauty Bar.  (I have tried to be good this year and avoided those shops.)
   
2. I am bad at wrapping gifts.  I would rather pay someone to do it.  My mom always ends up helping me.  This year my sis-in-law Mommy P and nephew Miko pitched in after they saw my pile of gifts to be wrapped.  Maybe I should take lessons.
3. I love to cook and bake but only when I'm in the mood (does that make sense?), and I make a mean baked macaroni.  My chicken cacciatore is not bad either.
4. I have been trying to learn to play the guitar for the past two decades, probably.  I own two guitars.
5. Patience is not one of my virtues.  This explains no. 4.
6. I am perceived to be funny and loud, but I really prefer "alone time" at least one day a week.  I long for silence and savor it whenever I can.
7. I am suffering from Volunteer Burnout.  It does not flatter me when people ask me to do things just because I'm supposed to be good at them.  I have been like this for the past, I don't know, two years. (Sungit Mode)
8. My Love Language is "Words of Affirmation".  I need to hear it.  (The other love languages are "giving and receiving gifts", "quality time", "touch", and "acts of service".)
9. I have memorized the following films' lines:  "As Good as It Gets", "The Sound of Music", "An Affair to Remember", "Little Mermaid", "Beauty and the Beast", "Pretty Woman", "My Best Friend's Wedding", and "Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal".  There is more where that list came from.
10. I still daydream.

Now, the 10 poor victims I will tag, I mean, bestow this award to, are:

1. Alessandra
   
2. Skyjak a.k.a. BJ
3. Abi Franco
4. Karreen
5. Elmer
6. Dia
7. Adam
8. Jobelle
9. Dred
10. Sheila

Take your time, after all, it took me almost 2 weeks before "accepting" this award. ;)

Sweet Dreams Are Made of These

We've all read that forwarded message stating that we shouldn't postpone happiness, that we shouldn't wait until we've paid off our debts, won the battle against cancer, solved our family problems, reached 200% of our company targets, achieved a Pulitzer or Nobel prize, found our suitable partner, raised brilliant kids, or reached the Oscar Hall of Fame until we decide to be happy.

We can choose to be happy now, and when we do, we can recognize just how much we are blessed. I have been overwhelmed with the gift of friendship that God has given me. I do not deserve to have such wonderful people praying for me, taking care of me, listening to me, laughing with me, counting on me, sharing with me, rooting for me, and giving to me. It is not all about me, but about how God has placed the right combination of people so that I won't be led astray.

I am very happy now, and I hold on to the feeling with delightful bliss, for as a recovering perfectionist happy moments are few and far between (yes, despite the blessings).

The reasons for my happiness are endless.

My father celebrated his 73rd birthday last Saturday and despite the health scare last week, he is doing okay now and is even back to his usual daily routine. I am looking forward to a vacation with my family this coming January, when all of my siblings and siblings-in-law form abroad will be here in the Philippines. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling, and I enjoy the planning and scheduling that is involved in anticipation of our family reunion.

I seem to be doing better in my job. After a year in my position, I am not as daunted by my responsibilities anymore, and I have learned to just give my best and let God do the rest. The formula, as always, has worked, for last month we reached our sales targets, with several team members performing way beyond expectation. Planning season is upon us and I savor it as a time to apply what I have learned the past year and to implement my plans for our products and our department.

And have I mentioned that I really do have wonderful friends? From grade school, high school, college, law school, Lingkod, parish, and office, I am surrounded by friends. This should not be, and it is not out of my sheer charm that this happened. God knows that I am a people person and I delight in organizing get-togethers and spending quality time with people I treasure.

Last night was one such happy event. To celebrate the birthday of our dear friend Fr Steve Tynan, Lingkod brothers and sisters who have come to know him through the years gathered at Dencio's for about five hours of fellowship. More get-togethers were planned, and friendships were strengthened. The conversation was life-giving to everyone. I had a personal relationship with everyone who was there and I was very glad to be sitting there, watching the people, joining the conversation, sharing the food, passing on the love.

Dencio's Capitol Hills was the perfect venue. We had a good view of the Marikina Valley, and we did not have to drive out of the city to do that. We enjoyed the sisig, the beer, the turon, and everything in between. We loved their coffee. It was surprisingly good. We definitely want to go back to that place.


It is nights like these that I celebrate, to help me survive the daily challenges of life. I am very grateful to God for all these blessings, and in response, I want to share His love to everyone around me. For His love is just abundant that I cannot contain it. I have to give it away.