I was trying to look for my "post Happy New Year greeting" post for 2008, kinda like this one for 2007, but I couldn't find it. Come to think of it, maybe those thoughts never reached LJ and just got stuck in one of the notebooks I have around for the times I need to write something down - like so many other things in 2008.

I told myself at the start of '08 that it will be a year of "Blasts from the Past". Getting to see people we haven't seen in ages - old friends, old contacts, old loves. Some were greeted with a literal pounce huggles, and others, I must admit, not so much.

So, if 2006 was "Getting Things Done", 2007 was "Ch-ch-changes" and 2008 was "Blasts from the Past", hopefully 2009 will be "Balance". They're not really predictions, nor resolutions, but sort of my theme for the year.

Economists say that 2009 will be rough for everyone financially. I think it's also the perfect time for us to figure out what's important to us.

My wish then, not just for myself, but for everyone dear to me, is for us to get back our mojo, find our happy place, our bliss, this 2009. May we all be strong enough to let go of the things that we think we can't, find the courage to take that leap of faith we've been dreading to, and discover the inspiration that will help point us to the right path.

Early last year, I said "Things will get done, things will happen and surprises will be a common occurrence. Somewhere along the way, things will be better." Things really got done, alright. From little things to big things, from those that this LJ was witness to, others, I kept to myself, while others I had just totally forgot to mention. Some things had an actual physical output, others were more towards feelings and relationships. Some things had to do with me while the others had to do with, well, other people. Most things were done on time even - a major feat in itself.

I had started again being into things I used to love to do ages ago, but for some reason or another had stopped doing them. I had forgotten to keep myself healthy, and I don't mean the literal feeding sense. It's funny how I could know and yet forget at the same time that whatever I do, if I'm not a complete me, I can't be completely there for other people and other things as well. 2006 had taught me this. I had forgotten me the past couple of years - something I was already aware of that time, but wasn't ready to confirm and admit to anyone else, even moreso, to myself.

Even if things are not yet what I "think" would be ideal, I was extremely blessed that things are indeed much better this year, too. There are no words to say how grateful I am for this fact. And yes, the surprises were also there.

I'm hoping that in 2007 more things will get done, bigger things in fact, and to continue doing things I had stopped doing. Maybe willingly welcome certain people back, too. I'm also looking forward to new things - to good changes, that hopefully I am ready for, and people important to me will be ready for as well.

I predicted last year that "someone will get pregnant", and this came true as well, much to my amusement, but I was pretty caught off guard that it turned out to be Ja. Again. ;) No predictions for me this year. Someone might get married, I guess, but I really think that's going to happen in 2008 and not 2007. ;)

Happy New Year again, everyone. Another year, another chance to live, laugh and love. :D

[edited] Forgot to post the meme instructions. Post the first couple of lines of your first entry for every month of the year.

Aside from not having a NaNo entry, I think it's a most excellent round-up since I managed to get silliness, real life and most things in between.

January:
In the year 2006 I resolve to: Lose all my friends and become a complete geek.

- LOL! A meme. I think I came close!

February:
drealkulit: dude, you gotta get that voltes 5 toy i was telling you aboot.

uclamaverick: what voltes 5 toy? there's a new voltes 5 toy?

- Ah yes, that deja vu moment. @ Marc

March:
"You know what, you're like the most fun girl I've ever met."

- Eek filtered post. LOL Second line. Nobody react. Please.

( April, May, etc etc )

After putting it off for years, I'm finally doing the Friday Five thing. Mostly because I saw through nachtmusik83 that it's a good one this week. ;)

thefridayfive for 3/3/06: I'm Hot for Teacher

1. Who was your favorite all time teacher(s)?

Ms. Molina from Elementary; Sir A, Sir L, Sir F, Sir R from HS; Sir D and Sir J from college. - I actually have more, but these are the ones who are special to me for different reasons.

2. What did they teach?

- Ms. Molina: different subjects, but I remember her most for her 2 years as my Homeroom teacher.
- Sir A: History/Social Studies, Sir L: Algebra 1 & 2, Trigonometry, Sir F: Geometry (yes, there was a time I was fond of math and my math teachers), Sir R: Debate
- Sir D: Database 1 & 2, Systems Analysis and Design 2 (or 1, I forget now), Sir J: Psychology

3. What is your best memory from that class?

Too many to mention, but let's just say these are the ones who made me see what teaching is all about.

4. Did you ever have a crush on a teacher and if so who?

Dude, I go through crushes as often as I blink, do I really need to answer this one? :P

5. What is the craziest/wildest/weirdest thing you (or someone you know) ever did at school?

Weirdest: This is the story behind one of the questions on my "Quiz Your Friends" thing.

My prof came in the classroom before the bell sounded. Me, sitting on the center seat, front row, turned to my seatmate and asked if the bell had rung yet, just because I was confused and nothing else. He heard this, and apparently mistook it for me being a smart-ass. So he started screaming "*insert family name here*! You want a bell?!" then stormed out of the room. A few minutes after, he came back, still seething and was holding a bell (as in the ice cream bell). He started clanging the bell like an inch away from face and screaming "You want a bell?! You want a bell?! Here's a bell!"

I guess I caught him in a mood. I found out after class that he stormed in the faculty room, got that from the Phys Ed teacher, telling everyone that I'm well, a smart-ass or something. That's why everyone knew about it. So for days, I had to endure all my teachers picking on me, laughing, and going "You, you want a bell? You want a bell?" LOL

It's a few hours after the fifth day of 2005 and I just noticed I haven't done a "What was 2005" or "Resolutions for 2006".

Instead of making an in-depth, reflecting kind of post, I'll make it a brief one. Just to see a "transition post" of sorts on my LJ.

2004 was tough in personal and emotional way, for reasons only a select few, and possibly even less would understand. 2005 topped that because it wasn't just about me anymore. It was hard for family, friends and even people I barely know. Everything was falling apart, so many things were going wrong, and there was just this cloud of negativity that settled right smack in the middle of everything.

I once said I'm hoping against hope that things would be better for everyone in 2006. I somehow think it will still be hard, but hard in a different way. Like, I have this strangest feeling that it will be tough and yet things will slowly fall into place. Things will get done, things will happen and surprises will be a common occurrence. Somewhere along the way, things will be better. Oh, and someone will get pregnant this year, too.

Well, those are Kulit's predictions for 2006. Just a gut feeling and such. Or maybe i'm just practicing idiotic optimism.

*2005 taught me that it's okay to trust. There are still a lot of people in this world who deserve them. It's also okay to admit you're not okay.

Home -> Quezon City -> Magallanes -> Alabang -> Makati -> Home = One dead tired kulit. X_X

It started with lunch with a couple of the boys, which I was horribly late for, btw. Then it was off to the local comics convention. I knew from the start on that this was going to be much different than what I'm used to. This time, the focus are on the talents, rather than the whole collecting part of this hobby that seemed to be the main driving force nowadays. It was a pretty average turn out, as is expected, but I know if it was advertised a little bit more, there would have been a bigger crowd.

It was still nice, though, being in a place overflowing with talent; local ones at that. Sometimes, there was this odd feeling, like you shouldn't be there, a little out of place, but for the most part the only thought was how proud you are of them - from the local indie creators to the big ones that have reached the US comics scene. There are also a lot of comics people I don't get to see anymore. It was good seeing them again, even if it was just a hi-hello-how-are-you sort of thing.

I spent a lot of time staring at Art Exhibit, specially those of older artists - the ones that whispered to the current aspiring artists, "yes, you could do this, too." There was a bunch of *really* old local comics there as well. My grampa, who started the whole comics thing with me, would have loved it. Hiwaga, Aliwan, Darna, Espesyal - these are the books he shared with me (as long as I promised to put it back to his comics table). Wish he was stll around. He would have really liked it there.

( From North to South )

Weird. I just noticed I always do my weekend posts on Tuesdays or Wednesdays... Oh, well. *shrugs* :D

Grandma's always been fond of watching beauty pageants. I remember back in the old house, when Grampa was still alive, they would bet against each other, with the loser buying ice cream for the family. Grandma would always win of course. One of her top 3 would always bag the crown. I guess she really does have an eye for "classic beauty", or she just really has the same taste as the socialites that judge the competition.

As for myself, I'm usually caught watching them coz I wanna the see the gowns. Uhm... shinies? :P

( The Gowns: The good, the okay and the ugh. )

If I were to do the picking, my choice would be Miss Russia, who didn't even make it to the top 16. I guess sexy wasn't what they were looking for (or you can blame her choice of evenin gown...) A special cuteness award goes to Miss Poland, just coz she was so adorably funny, and didn't carry herself like the typical uptight beauty contestant.

Lords of Dogtown allowed me to bask in something I rarely get associated with anymore, much less think about. It's been nine years since I've been on a board. It's something I moved away from a few months shy of the "fire of '96". Despite growing up surrounded by males, Dad wasn't fond of this particular group, and it wasn't like there were other kids to hang around with that skated. During that time, there were only two groups that did, the rich boys who could afford all the gears, and the boys from the ghetto who had to sneak in the parks so they can get some rail time. There really wasn't a middle ground, and it wasn't really fun skating alone. I inched away from it, until finally losing my board, I guess, sealed the deal.

There was this one scene at the movie where the boys get all excited for their new urethane wheels that brought me back to the day when one of the guys I skated with showed his brand spankin' new board, complete with yes, urethane wheels, which we then called "jelly gulong" (jelly wheels). Since most of us couldn't afford it, and I was skating without the blessing of the parents, we had to improvise - stretch rubber bands until it covered the whole wheel. Needless to say, it was a terrible idea. A band would break mid-ride and would wind up the trucks, which then would cause a jam and stop the board abruptly, sending us sprawling all over the street. LOL Fun times, fun times.

It's kinda weird how the one I knew least about, Jay Adams, turned out to be my favorite in the movie. It could be because he was presented to be the one into it just for skating, none of the hype and stuff. He's the most raw, in some ways. Or maybe just because he reminded me of a certain someone from the past. The attitude, the situation. It's all of those, methinks. (Oh, Carrots, the guy who played Jay looks like a younger version Jack Black. Younger and much hotter, of course. ;) Have I ever mentioned I have a thing for well cut backs? o_0 LOL)

I find it horrible that I don't remember a single name of those guys I skated with. Not one. At best I think I can pick three of them from a crowd, that's about it. I doubt if they remember me as well. A: Hey, you remember that girl we used to skate with? B: We had a girl skate with us? A: Yeah, the one who couldn't get on the rail. B: Dude... she was a girl?! Ah yes, that's prolly accurate right there. :p Oh, well. At least, there's always the arcade, right?

Oh, and yes, Heath was uber funny in Dogtown. Hehee.

I have to find a way to get my hands on the original Dogtown Documentary...

-o-o-o-o-o-

I am dubbing this week Kulit's Heath Ledger week! Today Dogtown, on Saturday Brothers Grimm! :D :D :D