Aside from the prevalence of shoppers hitting the malls, the presence of Christmas decorations and the cold mornings (which does not seem to be so lately), you would know that Christmas is just around the corner if you get to hear Yuletide hymns being played left and right.
I've been so used to hearing a lot of those Christmas songs. From the the old ones of the Jackson 5 (yeah, it's revealing how OLD I am) to the likes of Mariah Carey and Britney Spears. But if there would be anthems that would remind me of Christmas, it would be these two:
Whenever I hear Merry Christmas Darling by the Carpenters, that's the right smack sign that tells me it's Christmas time. Yes, the message itself is somewhat gloomy (READ: the song that fits the members of Samahan ng Malalamig ang Pasko) but thankfully, our own OPM artists came up with their own rendition. Right now, I prefer Kitchie Nadal's version as it gives the song a cheery, hopeful vibe.
See? You would just want to dance with it rather than sulk and be depressed in bed -- which is not the spirit of Christmas.
Another one that I love is Last Christmas by the group Wham. I know for sure that there are some people singing this and hoping that, just like how the lines in the song says, this year their heart would go to someone special.
I'm not really thinking much of the message of the song but this reminded me of this weird and funny side story. In January of this year, I had this out of whim, (as in wala lang) thought in my head that if I do hear any Christmas song played not during the Christmas season, I'll finally "have someone special" next year. I did not take that seriously, but guess what? I heard this song being played on the radio, not during the "ber" month but in a warm summer afternoon. And it happened not just once but two times--April 26, 2012 and May 30, 2012 and it really made my goosebumps rise in disbelief. But then again, while it made me smile, I would rather dismiss the thought and take it as just a silly coincidence.
How about you, are you humming to any Christmas song as well? Do you have a Yuletide playlist that you listen to nowadays? Drop me a line and let's sing to that! :-)
It's going to be Christmas in 10 days and seriously, I seem to have forgotten how each day passed by. It was that swift. While today is a Friday and I am home, I feel like I have left my mind at my desk at work. I still have not thought of how I'm going to spend the short Christmas break that I'm about to have, the gift has not been purchased, the appointment that I should make to meet my dentist and my optometrist still has not been made.
If there is one thing that's easy to accomplish is what to give the kids.
I have the weekend to fix a few things on my list although I don't plan to stay for hours outdoors because I have a personal mission to accomplish. I hope that God will give me all the strength that I need. After all, I have not done this form of sacrifice in years.
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| This note is going to be useful in a lot of situations! |
I better get a restful sleep tonight. For sure, that's all I need and my brain's regenerated to think by tomorrow.
"Katherine often teases me that I'm missing the need-a-boyfriend gene, but the truth is I just haven't met anyone who... well, I'm attracted to, even though part of me longs for the fabled trembling knees, heart-in-my-mouth, butterflies-in-my-belly moments.
Sometimes, I wonder if there's something wrong with me. Perhaps, I've spent too long in the company of literary heroes, and consequently, my ideals and expectations are far too high. But in reality, nobody's ever made me feel like that."
-Anastasia Steele, female protagonist, Fifty Shades of Grey-
These are mushy lines of fiction I know. But who would have expected that what I have always thought of my current state could be found in the page of a rather controversial best seller.
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| Photo: Google Images |
Yesterday, I reached my ninth month of working for the Australian law firm. I joked to one of my friends that if I were pregnant (which I thankfully am
NOT), I would be on full term by now and ready to welcome the delivery from the stork.
But for the past nine months, I had been blessed to receive surprises -- and by that, I mean a lot, not from the stork but from above. If you were to ask me how am I feeling now that I've reached this point, nothing has changed with the way I see it. I may not be earning money in hefty amounts but I am rich when it speaks to career experience and the professional and personal side of relationships. Most of my friends are both happy and envious (in a positive way) when I tell them of both the environment and the people that I work with. And if before, the word
stress became widely used in my vocabulary, it has been replaced by challenge.
And just like my previous profession of being a writer, I have loved the adrenalin rush my job has been giving me. While I only get about six to seven hours of sleep a day (and would mean less once I start with my personal sacrifice next weekend), I don't mind coming home bone tired because at the end of the day, I get to lie down in bed complete with a fulfilled feeling and a restful mind knowing that I have accomplished something meaningful.
Nine months met and I am eagerly awaiting for three more for another milestone -- reaching my first year and if God would allow it, I'll hopefully be off to my first overseas business trip.
I know The Force will be on my side.
"Prayer means placing ourselves at God's disposal so that, for a moment or two, He may accomplish what He has always wanted to do in us and what we never give Him a chance to."
-Louis Evely-
Even now, there are times I would wonder
How could it possibly be that a day like this would come.
It was both funny and odd;
For we knew each other for long.
We would meet at random circumstances
On the streets, on wakes and even on different events
We knew each other's past loves and how things went;
Regardless of how good or bad it has been
And yet, we called each other as friends even back then.
Yet here we are now years after
Renewing a friendship
That I never knew could really exist
Laughing, talking and exchanging stories
That took years to be told
A bond that is filled with memories that who knows
We could share to each other together
Until we grow so old.
One of the things that I await during December aside from parties and the Christmas bonus is doing something for charity. And this year, it's going to be my second time to join the project called My Dream in a Shoebox.
Taken from their
website,
My Dream in a Shoebox was the brainchild of the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) and TeamAsia's partnership with Children's Hour and Department of Education (DepEd). Now on its fourth year, it has become a Christmas tradition of collecting and distributing shoeboxes filled with school supplies to less fortunate Filipino children.
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| Just a few things |
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Aside from the usual wording, I just wrote
Merry Christmas from your secret Santa :-) |
It caught me by pleasant surprise to find out that the charity event I am supporting is spearheaded by TeamAsia. I am familiar with this marketing communications firm because they were the organization we featured in 2010 when I was assigned by my then managing editor to be the mentor to our then neophyte writer, Jeff Zapanta for what happened to be his first writing stint and my final project (after four and a half years) with the magazine of Meralco Development Center (which is now First Pacific Learning Academy).
Anyway, we were given four options to show our participation for the project. I chose to DIY my box and shop for school supplies to be given. Mainly because I find huge delight at the sight of shopping for school supplies and because the bookstore is my happy place (second to Jollibee). And for this year, I did a little extra special by sending out a Christmas card for the child who is about to receive my gift. This is just a little share of what I could do given the blessings that I received this year.
I'm off to send this to our client services division tomorrow morning and the distribution will start on December 19. I am also in support of another organization which I will tell you in my next post.
