Wake up!

My blog has been sleeping for a very long time. Pardon for the absences. There were so many things that have been running around my mind and I have been contemplating to blog about each of them.

What really has been keeping me busy? Well, "a lot of things" should keep the answer in its simplest term. What are these things?...a list would probably suffice:

(1) My project in Indiana has ended. Umm, my role in the project, that is...but not necessarily "the project". I stayed in that client for 10 months! (Even longer than my stay in my previous company.) So, when I packed up my things, cleared my desk -- a feeling of resignation dawned on me. Strange! Will I still go back to the client? That, I don't know as of now. But all I can say is I learned a lot of things during my stay in that client...and gained friendships too!

(2) We just stayed in our apartment on the night of Thanksgiving. Unlike last year, where we bravely faced the biting cold weather in the wee hours for our shopping trip, we just went to Kohl's and Chicago Premium Outlet in the morning after Thanksgiving. Of course, I lied when I said to myself that I won't be buying any stuff... that I will just content myself in checking out things. Of all the things I got, I soo love my Fifty Four Fossil Rachel '70s saddle bag (blue)! About the rest of the items I shopped, my voluntary promotion of human welfare has evolved -- "philanthropy" in other words. I did some last-minute gift shopping for friends in Pinas. (Did I mention that the husband, too, was a certified liar?)

(3) My balikbayan boxes have finally arrived in our house in Binan, Laguna. I have been checking the website of the cargo company for the past week, worrying that we wouldn't be able to receive the package just in time for Christmas. Since this was the first time that we shipped a package from US, I was worried that it would take a long time before the package reaches the Southern Luzon region. In Dubai, we trusted Makati Express in shipping our boxes -- no negative feedbacks. So, when we came here, after scouting for pinoy cargo companies, we settled in using "forex". And I made the right choice. They delivered the package in less than the estimated time of 35-40 days (32 days, to be exact). They also let you track the package using their website (just like UPS/Fedex). And once the package has been received by your recipient, they take a picture of the package together with your recipient...funny! But this is to prove that the package was in good state when it was received.

(4) We'll be flying to Manila on Wednesday. Unlike before, we can't feel the excitement this time. We have finished a fraction of the things we need to do before leaving. Our bags are half-packed... I hope, by tomorrow, I will start feeling the excitement.

(5) I have booked and paid the hotel where we will be staying in Baguio, together with the whole family. This will be my nth visit to Baguio, but will be my parents' 1st time. I just hope that everything will turn out great.

(6) I've been procrastinating again and haven't finished my *plan* -- that by the way, I promised to finish by the end of 2008 (if you try to back read to my 2008 new year entry)!

So, that's about it for the update!

Happy holidays, everyone!