Because weekend will be over soon, I just wanted to say:

I had a really really wonderful weekend :) Yay!!! :) :) :) Looking forward to an even greater week ahead.

Today, I realized that being nice coupled with a smile can go a long way -- beyond cultural and language barriers. Although, being pretty is a good advantage. LOLJK. (half-meant). I think I should smile a lot more often -- its makes people wonder what I'm up to.

Moving on from a broken puso

Last Saturday, my college friends and I watched the UAAP Cheerdance competition at MOA Arena. I've been regularly watching the competition since I started studying at UP and eventhough I'm already an alumnus of the university, I never fail to watch it live (except for last year). I know it is hard to get tickets for that event and I freakin' hate scalpers! Ugh. When we are outside of MOA last Saturday, a lot of scalpers were there tricking hopeless students to buying their tickets. I overheard someone selling his Gen Ad ticket for 1,500!!! Grabe. I'm thankful I have a friend from UP Pep Squad who is our source of tickets every year. Hihi. 

Anyway, UP was the first to perform. And like every first performer, it sets the bar for the other performers. UP did set a high bar. When I actually learned a week ago that UP will perform first, I have doubts. Not that I don't believe in UP Pep but my friend Lovely said, "Wala pang nanalo na unang nagperform" which could be true. But I know UP will negate that belief. When I saw them perform, I knew they will win. I just don't think they deserved to be the 2nd runner up. Their performance was spectacular. I had goosebumps specially during the last part when they were forming the heart pyramid with UP Naming Mahal as the background music. Yay. I'm just so proud! 

(photo not mine): This is AMAAAZIIIIIING!

I couldn't just believe they ranked third (Can I say that again?) Haha! We were all confident they're going to be the champion. But we were all brokenhearted to the turn of events. Oh well. Life's like that. You win some, you lose some.

So where do broken hearts go? To bed. Lol.

Anyway, speaking of broken hearts, I had a friend who broke up with his guy. It should be a "normal" breakup but then the girl is about to take her bar exam this November. Now, I could just imagine the stress and depression she's currently facing. As her friend, all I can do is give some advice but it's really up to her on how she can help herself. I've been in the same situation before and I know that even I received a lot of advice from my friends such as "Marami pang iba dyan", "May mas ok pa", "In God's time magiging okay ka", "Kala mo lang di ka makaka-move on" -- it's really up to me to believe them and move on... or stay stuck forever. I'm actually guilty of not believing their pieces of advice and I do my own way -- I indulged in self-pity which is WRONG. After four times of brokenheartedness, I now firmly believed in this: Don't spend time with people who made you feel like less than you are. 

As a person, you should always know your worth. People you love will, one way or another, make you cry, you just have to know who's worth your tears. God will allow you to lose some because He always have better plans for you... you just have to learn to let go.

Sidenote: This is what my friend Bert told me, "Kelangan natin iparealize sakanya na tayo nag let go tayo dati sa mga kashungahan natin. tapos after that naging mas okay tayo sa buhay". Indeed. Hahaha! Kashungahan talaga the term. Lol.

Flashback Friday!!!

While cleaning my cabinet, I found my old hard drive lying underneath my pile of "trash". I suddenly remembered that all of my college research papers, Multiply blogs and pictures (which I have saved before the site closed down), Kumon and Toastmasters speeches were stored in that drive. I tried pulling the hard drive's cable but it was stuck. The cable was old and rusty and I felt that it's useless anymore. Just as I was about to give up the thought of recovering all the files that I've saved, I decided to just plug it in my laptop. Lo and behold! It's still working! Despite the pop-up that says "ERROR: You need to format the drive in order to use it", the virtue of patience helped me successfully transfer the files in my laptop (The folders keep on closing unexpectedly). I wasn't able to save all of the files because it finally decided to rest in peace. Nevertheless, I was so happy that I was able to retrieve some. Looking at the 20,000+ pictures, made me nostalgic and proud of myself that I've grown beautiful through the years (lol yun talaga ang realization ko haha!) But come to think of it, I look extremely malnourished back then.

11 years ago: A picture to reiterate my point that I'm actually fatter now. 

Some things looked better now (I'm not saying that literally but figuratively as well). I realized that I have a happy growing up years! I was able to fully enjoy life in college and my early 20s. Now that I'm closer to admitting to myself that I'm in my late 20s, I was able to take a few steps back and I'm happy on what I was able to achieve. I've created wonderful (and shameful lol) memories of the past that I can actually laugh at today. Here are some of my not-so favorites. No judgement please hahaha!

First year college days: During the time I was still confuse on what career path I should take (I guess until now, I'm still confused haha!), I took Dentistry. I shifted two years after I have figured out it wasn't for me. Some may think that I've wasted my time studying something I'm not really "into", but I'm so glad for that 2 "wasted" years (nevermind that I was in college for 5 years). They are all dentists now and are my closest friends -- I have no worries for my future son and daughter's dental health because I can easily approach these cool dentists (less the professional fee).

3rd year college years: From Dentistry, I transferred to Statistics (don't ask why). I'm good friend with these nerds and they made my Diliman days oh-so-worthy. Being a transferee, I'm glad these weirdos gave me a warm welcome to the world of Statistics. I think I wouldn't be able to finish the course without them.

My chubbiest cheeks in my entire lifetime. This was during my fresh grad days when all I had for breakfast, lunch and dinner was McDonalds (that was the nearest establishment to my previous workplace so I have no choice). Lol.

Towers Watson days: Yeah that's me. And just to clear my name -- I always lose at card games (heck I really don't play card games), hence, the consequence for losing the game: drink lambanog. So, I took 5+ shots and boom I found myself on the floor sand and forgetting everything that happened that night. Hahaha! 

And to take revenge, I wrote on his (the game master's) forehead (using charcoal I found in the beach hahaha!) Look at my shorts. So much for mopping the floor (or sand for that matter) with my butt.

2010: Back when dancing with a complete stranger is a way to heal my brokenheart. Lol. 

2011: I tried eating Starfish and seahorse at Beijing, China. My bad. I shouldn't have patronized it. I feel bad for these sea creatures. 

They say that your past doesn't define your future and I couldn't more agree. 'Coz if it does, I think I'd still be in my troubled self now. I'm not gonna beat myself up for doing the things I wish I didn't do back then. I've already learned my lessons the hard way.

If I could only go back in time, I would not change anything I've done before (regardless if it made me broke, broken-hearted, appear bad to the eyes of people or lose). I would just give my younger and troubled self a long, tight and encouraging hug and would tell her that everything's gonna be alright, that it's part of the test and "You have a bright future ahead of you, kiddo. Don't die yet." Lol. Everything is so much better now.

Take every problem and every heartache that you have as an opportunity for you to share your success story in the future.