I Blog, Therefore I Am.

Collateral damage is one of my favorite euphemisms of late. What is it anyway (and I am not talking about the Schwarzenegger film of 2002)? Search for it via trusty Wikipedia and you will get: "unintentional damage or incidental damage affecting facilities, equipment or personnel, occurring as a result of military actions directed against targeted enemy forces or facilities. Such damage can occur to friendly, neutral, and even enemy forces". In layman, everyday term, it just means “unintentional or incendental damage from an impact caused by another”. Yep, it’s collateral damage when he broke your heart after he left (he’s really not intending to hurt you, right? right? right?). Yep, it’s collateral damage when he got his own unrequited love to take care of (his hurt is your hurt so therefore it’s collateral damage, right?).

Collateral damage sucks!!! Imagine? You’re minding your own business then *kaboom* you’re suddenly hit??? SO UNFAIR! Yeah, collateral damage definitely sucks!

Happiness and celebration are two of my favorite words this year. And the above pictures - on my new and improved blog banner - are my reasons for celebration and happiness. :)

Almost all of the photos (but one) were taken this year.
Hope you like it as much as I love doing it.

P.S.
I miss blogging! There are so many things I want to write and share! Here are the things I want to blog IF I have the time (or the inspiration to write)...

1. Naga business trip (I've never been to Bicol before)
2. Hang-outs with various friends (I actually do show up!)
3. Tagaytay Saturday afternoons
4. Lost iBook :(
5. Philippine Ballet Theater's "All That Jazz"
6. My could-have-been-would-have-been guy from 3 years ago
7. Updates on Grey's Anatomy

...and a lot more!

Jing tagged me ages ago to do this but I wasn't able to. I finally found some time this evening and answered it. :)

10 years ago I was...
...18 years old and was the debut year for me and a bunch of friends. I was out almost every week attending parties, dinners, cotillion rehearsals, or saying 18 candle wishes to friends.

...studying really really seriously. I also remembered being so disappointed because my College Guidance Counselor almost altered the course of my life - literally and figuratively - when she unknowingly put me in another Mass Communication major despite the fact that I qualified superbly for the coveted and desired Advertising and Public Relations course. Good thing I asked for a re-check or I would have spent my remaining college years trotting the Assumption halls with tri-pods & video cameras on my shoulder (not that there's something wrong with it but I am not just cut for media production and broadcasting; advertising & pr has always been my thing).

...about to experience my first broken-heart from a two-timing boyfriend (aka my first love). I learned his bad deed around late September, called a ceasefire to think things over after two weeks, and finally broke things off in October. He's now a friend after we made peace years following the demise of our great relationship. He's on my IM buddy list and he's still single (not that it matter?).

5 years ago I was...
...working very hard at Honda Cars Philippines. Lee, my former stress partner, just got admitted to our wonderful world and together we rocked the nation with loads of Civic activities. 2001 was a Civic year (like this year) and we had events right and left to make sure that Honda is number 1 for 6 consecutive years.

...elated to meet the officers of the newly-formed Honda Club of the Philippines - Carlo, Bugs, Amiel, Fred - who became life-long buddies. I truly learned a lot from 'em, their club, and their members.

...happy and living the carefree condo-life in Alfaro with Olen, Iou, and Tintin. No curfew, no parents, Starbucks as neighbor, gimmick & movie all you want, 15 minute cab-drive from the office, badminton nights at the nearby park, and waking up at 7:30 am is truly the best!

...bugged by the words "lifelong commitment" and "forever" that were offered to me. The Hugo Boss I got from my birthday was neat but I vowed that it would be the last I will receive from the guy who gave it.

Yesterday...
...I was with Tin, Aileen and Charo. We went to Tagaytay to visit and pray at Pink Sisters, swing by Angels' Hills, drown in Bulalo soup with the breathtaking view of Taal, and chat non-stop at Starbucks with hot coffee and coco in hand.

...Tin and I followed Charo and Jako at KFC for dinner. We talked about our old classmates and played the game of "Know Thy Classmate" (it was lame but fun, no point in explaining the rules here).

...Tin kept on teasing me because I was full of bitterness and bitchiness all day! I was bitter and bitchy about: the mushy couples around us ("Yeah right! Iiwanan ka din nyan!"), when we talked about the time she staged an all-out war on me in Sophomore year which she now cannot remember ("You were so mean! You were calling me names! Umuwi ka mag-isa mamaya!"), the foggy windshield ("Arrgh! Give me the tissue! It's the freakin' aircon!") and our nerdy classmates in highschool who are now happily married ("Naunahan nya pa tayo???").

...I watched the 3rd to the last disc of The OC's Season 1. I was at the part where Caleb asked Julie Cooper to marry him. Ewww!

5 Favorite TV Shows...
Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, The OC, Friends, Sex and The City, Commander-in-Chief, Dawson's Creek (yeah, more than five...)

5 Favorite Toys...
Canon IXUS 60, my desktop computer, The SIMS2, my laptop, Porshie

5 Fictional Characters I Would Date...
Noel (Felicity) - he's still on top of my list, he reminds me of my ex.
Derek Shepherd (Grey's Anatomy) - sans Addison, he's truly McDreamy!
Will Thatcher (Notting Hill) - you gotta love that accent and hair!
Cyclops (The X-Men) - every Jean Grey's dream
Rocky (Ngayong Nandito Ka) - yeah, so cheesy and 'eww' but he is just SO fight! (you don't believe me? ask Cindy Kurleto!)

5 Biggest Joys...
Family, friends, Goodyear & work, traveling, writing & blogging

5 Places I Would Run Away To...
Rome, Italy (the ultimate dream vacation for moi! La Dolce Vita!)
Singapore (this is one place where one can truly start over)
Davao (a place to seek, a place to hide)
Boracay (if you want an uber-quick escape from reality - this is it)
Baguio (though best to go if you have somebody to run away with)

5 Things I would do with $100M...
Be charitable and give to those who truly need
Invest in profitable stocks and watch it grow
Treat myself, family and friends to a trip around the world
Stop working and live the senorita life
Buy an island!

5 Tags...
Aileen, Tin, Charo, Mitzi, Reggie