Best of 2008: The Year That Was

There are many blessings, challenges, opportunities, things, situations, and individuals I'm very thankful for in 2008. And I'm taking this time out to let the world know how colorful the year that was for me.

First, I'd like to thank the beautiful people who've helped, gave inspiration, unconditionally loved, critiqued, and disliked me for they've made me a better person:

• My Love Nald, my forever confidante, best friend, adviser, my rock. I love you so much for accepting and keeping with all my quirks!
• My Daughter Aleks who is one little feisty, funny, smart, curious, and lovable kid. You keep me grounded. Love you forever, Naneng!
• My Mom, my inspiration. I dedicate my being to you who've given me life. I will forever me indebted to you, Mommy. I love you!
• Nanay and Juday, thanks for taking GREAT care of us.
• Our dogs Bugsy (our THEN 8-year old Rottweiler) and King (our NOW 7-month old Bullmastiff), you make life extra especial.
• For my very few AND very good REAL friends: OO, Quellay, Jae, Krissy, Heather, Dimples, and Alexish for the especial moments and care we've shared and continue to do so in many more years!
• My Business Partners: Lea B., Tessa L., Pam O., Grace V., Kat L., Jae L., and Gabby DS.. We're a team and our success is unstoppable!
• Other business suppliers I've dealt with: Lea O., Rona E. for trusting me with your businesses.
• My AGSB groups, professors, and classmates for all the learning you've shared.
• The many people I've met in my line of work who've also shown me what it takes to be more successful.
• My The DROPShop Online clients who bought my products. Thanks for all the trust and loyalty. =)
• My hecklers (you know who you are) for all the challenges and opportunities you've opened for me and the realizations I've had. Without you, life won't be so exciting!
  

Second, I'm also very much blessed to have accomplished all these and more:

• 2-bedroom condominium unit purchase at the East of Galleria in Ortigas, Pasig City " Four finished subjects in The Ateneo Graduate School of Business (Seven more to go and can't wait to enroll for the next term!)
• Successful IELTS Review and IELTS Exam (c/o Quellay E.) where I got a score of 7.5 (the highest score is 9)
• The DROPShop online launch (through Multiply): revamped and upgraded my site to Premium status
• The DROPShop online domain registration " Expanded The DROPShop clientele base to more than 150 people to-date
• First published article in HerWord, an internet gazette managed by Business World Online
• First public talk at the First Nursing Expo at the SM Megamall, again through my great friend, Quellay
• Second public talk at the Belle de Jour exclusive gathering in Rustans, Makati
• Travel journeys for work to Cebu three times and in Bacolod once
• Big sale of an Iloilo franchise (though not yet signed) at the office
• And the ICING on my cake: Purchases of the following: SAMSUNG smart phone, MAC 13-inch 2nd Gen laptop, LG KP500 Cookie touch phone, lots of clothes, bags, shoes, accessories, food, and what-have-you's
  

Lastly, what I am very much thankful for to my old man up there are not just all these things he provided me but MOST ESPECIALLY the small and often times ignored BLESSINGS that happen everyday:

• Waking up in the morning and knowing I'm still alive
• Our family's daily morning bonding routine - eating breakfast together, riding together and listening and singing to music on our way to the office and school
• The convenience of having my office located in the back of my daughter's school, so I get to bring and pick her up everyday
• The flexibility of my job to accommodate my school and personal schedules
• The comforts of our small yet very cozy home
• Being able to eat and drink any food I want
• Having the many talents and skills to do many things such as write articles, sell products, speak in front of many people, laugh at my mistakes and boo-boos, make people happy...

Overall, 2008 was very good in spite what others may say if they start talking about recession, economy, politics, and all other *rap. Sure I have a say on those things, too. But for now, there are just so many things to be grateful about. Period.

Our New Bundle of Joy

It's been almost four weeks since we got a new baby… yes a baby DOG that is! It’s our family’s second dog since Bugsy (our Rottweiler) who left us in December last year. Now, we have a baby Bullmastiff by the name of KING.
He was two months old when we got him and he was UBER cute and small then, but now he’s a humongous puppy who’s very, very, very playful and stubbornly lovable.

From history, Bullmastiffs are known to be courageous, loyal, calm, and loving with those it knows. It has a very strong protective instinct and will defend its owners against anything it perceives as a threat. However, it does not normally attack to protect. Instead, it knocks the intruder over with its massive size and pins them to the ground, or, will simply stand in front of the stranger/intruder and refuse to let them pass. Bullmastiffs become intensely attached to their families and do best when they can live inside with them. Their protective instinct combined with their great size and natural wariness of strangers means that early socialization is a must. The Bullmastiff may or may not get along well with other dogs. (Wikipedia; accessed on August 27, 2008).

Adult male Bullmastiffs may grow from 25 to 27 inches tall (63.5 to 68.5 cm) at the withers and 110 to 135 pounds (50 to 60 kg). Females typically reach 24 to 26 inches (61 to 66 cm) at the withers, and 100 to 120 pounds (45 to 55 kg). So this means, by the time KING is a full-grown adult dog, he’d be taller and bigger than me when he’s stretched, LOL!

Right now, I’m enjoying taking care of him, he considers me as his playmate, so whenever I arrive, he gets funky and excited. My Love Nald on the other hand, is his authority. KING gets serious and attentive (most of the time, that is) with him.

Making A Difference

Some of the many things My Love Nald and I want instilled in our daughter are the ability to share blessings with other people and appreciate what we currently have. We reinforced this big time, during her birthday celebration this month.

Since she’s our only daughter, Aleksis has had the chance to celebrate her previous birthdays the way a typical kid would – fast food restaurants, in school, at home, etc. She also gets to have the toys and other stuff she would request for. At the same time, she is also aware that she may not have everything she wants just because. She has limitations as we’re not filthy rich to provide them for her. We’re just able and capable.

Our family celebrated her 8th birthday on Saturday at the ASILO de SAN VICENTE de PAUL at UN Avenue, Paco, Metro Manila. ASILO is a crisis center where people, mostly kids, and sometimes their other family members take refuge from certain situations they’ve encountered.

The center offers four services for various sectors of the society namely: Child Welfare and Development Program, Youth Welfare and Development, Family Welfare and Community Development, and Lakbay-Kapatid Program. All of these programs aim to help support and guide Filipino children and youth (usually orphans, neglected, and abandoned children) become better individuals. Social workers, Sisters of the Daughters of Charity, Lay Mission Partners, and volunteers sustain the organization.

For a fraction of the cost we normally spend during her birthday celebrations in the past, we were able to share to more than 60 kids in the center. We had lunch, played games (with My Love Nald as the host), and watched them showcase their talents. Mind you, they’re very good singers and dancers!

With this experience, all of us in our family – My Love Nald, Princess Aleksis, our Nanay Niknik, and I, were humbled. We all felt at peace after. With the several hours we spent with the kids, we were able to make them happy.

Let me share with you what one of the kids said towards the end of our stay: “Maraming salamat sa oras at sa lahat ng bagay na ibinigay ninyo sa amin. Alam namin na maraming tao ay busy at nagpapasalamat kami at nandito kayo. Di man namin masusuklian ang lahat ng ito pero ipagdadasal namin na sana mas maging mabuti pa ang buhay ng pamilya ninyo.” I still feel a lump on my throat whenever I remember her words. It hits me right in the heart every time. How beautiful their hearts are, how simple they could be, how uncomplicated, how wonderful. I’m wishful thinking that all of us would have pure hearts like theirs.

Our family have sworn to doing this again. In our own little ways, we are able to do a lot for other people.

Serendipity perhaps, again, our old man upstairs led the way for me to realize a lot of things I’m supposed to be thankful for… For more information about ASILO, click on the photo below.

BUGSY of the Lions... Our Angel

Today at nine o’clock in the morning, our veterinarian will pick-up Bugsy, our eight-year old Rottweiler. He has been sick with hip Dysplasia and has been in pain for several weeks. We had him checked-up and medicated but his condition became worse. And last night, the vet advised that we turn him over to them so his suffering would end… My family and I can’t help but cry. We knew this would happen eventually but we never expected it to happen this soon… but oh well, reality bites.

Bugsy has been with us since 1999. I gave him as a birthday gift to my one and only love – Nald. I originally wanted a Labrador Retriever, but it wasn’t my birthday so I gave in. Nald, together with our Nanay NikNik, did most of Bugsy’s ‘training’ – toilet, following commands, etc. I wasn’t exactly super close to Bugsy as Nald and Nanay NikNik was, but I loved him as well and he loved us all, unconditionally… Nald and I considered Bugsy as our first ‘baby’.

Apart from the happiness we get when Nald and I we’re together, Bugsy provided us joy that may be compared to what a child gives to a parent. He loved cuddling and kissing us, he was very playful. Many if not all people who knew we had a Rottweiler asked us if he was ‘safe’ and we often responded by saying “he’s the kindest dog, not only to us but to everyone who steps into our home”. He may have looked intimidating and scary – black coat and all, but he was the sweetest dog. I remember the time when I was pregnant with Aleksis, he slept beside me. Nald and I often slept in our living room because I needed to go to the restroom in the middle of the night. And it wasn’t safe for me to go up and down our flight of stairs just to do so.

Because Bugsy was a huge dog, he acted as my second pillow. He stayed next to me and made sure Aleksis and I were safe. In fact, there was a time when Nald and I left the stove switched on and it was Bugsy who alerted us about it. He woke us up by barking as loud as he could and he led Nald to the kitchen. We were so thankful he saved us.

Bugsy always had a way to melt our hearts and sway our moods, even if he was naughty. He’d just look at us with his bright black eyes, pull back his ears, and tilt his head from side to side. His being mischievous was very tolerable. Unlike other dogs he disliked flip flops or anything at home that he could sink his teeth onto. Instead he loved rawhide until he tasted bones – gigantic cow bones. Bugsy bit into one with much gusto. Leaving him alone at home did not worry us at all. When we get back home from a trip or just a day out, everything was still intact.

I could spend a whole day and it wouldn't be enough to reminisce all the times we had with Bugsy. Nald hates good-byes and I guess I do, too. But we’ll never say that because it has been a wonderful and life-enriching eight years with you, Bugsy. And we know we’ll see each other again. You have taught us the real quintessence of love.
You will forever be in our hearts… Soon, you’ll be our angel.

Have a safe trip, Bugsy. Go towards the light, peacefully… Together with Nald, Aleksis Rae, Nanay, Juday, Danielle, and the rest of the people you’ve come across with, we’ll miss you.

Love you, Bugs!

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Unknown