on the Verge of

2018 has been an exhilarating ride. The year started out with an unexpected shift in my career path. There were many struggles along the way and the learning curve was steep. But I was able to cope up with the help of my mentors, colleagues, and team mates. I also married the love of my life last September. The preparations were tough and I thought I was going to faint before I walked down the aisle. But everything turned out more perfectly than I could have ever imagined it. Keen and I also had our dream honeymoon in Japan. It was probably the best international trip we've had so far. We explored many places and ate a lot of our favorite Japanese food. it was really a dream come true. Then there's the married life where Keen and I had to go through many changes and adjustments. But we were so blessed to have been supported by both our families as we started a new life in our new home. It's been more than two weeks and we can officially say that we have settl...

New year's resolutions may seem overrated now. But for me and Keen, it is something we take seriously. Last year, Keen managed to stay committed to his 2017 resolution of not having any beer for the whole year. It was difficult especially when we would pass by our favorite place for ice cold beer, the BC Chicken House in Ecoland. For group gatherings, we had to pass the beer and opt for hard liquor instead. That was quite intense. So last January 1, 2018, we finally went back to BC to order our first drink for the year. We each had a bottle of ice cold San Mig Light. Keen finally did it. Congrats babe! Now this 2018, we are planning for new and feasible resolutions. And here's what we came up with: 1. KEEN - go to the gym four times a week 2. MAI - blog at least once a week Mine may not seem that much compared to Keen's but believe me, being in a corporate environment is tough. It will truly be a challenge especially on hectic weeks where I might be busy ev...

2017 is finally here! Everyone's been saying how 2016 literally 'slayed' us with the deaths of some global icons in music, film and arts. Other heartbreaking events such as bombings in Syria and other key cities like my hometown Davao have also left scars in our hearts. But even if we've finally gone through 2016, there's no telling what's in store for us this 2017. I celebrated the new year with my family and boyfriend. We had our traditional medianoche at home. Of course, the typical superstitions such as the round fruits and sticky food couldn't be missed. There were more superstitions in the book but they were too gruesome to follow.  I told them that by the end of the day, no matter what new year superstition we observe, our decisions and perseverance will still determine how we will fare this year. 2017 seems so uncertain now but there's so much to be hopeful for. I've already crossed my midlife crisis last year. Now I am hoping that this y...

Last night we had our IA department's Christmas party. It was a small intimate pajama party that started with a 'breakfast' dinner at Cafe Demitasse. Then we headed out to K1 KTV for our videoke and party proper. We had fun games, raffle and exchange gifts. We sang our hearts out and danced. Goodbyes were also said as some members of our team will no longer be with us next year. It felt sad to miss these people. Our team won't be the same again. But the journey we've been through has been wonderful. I hope they find joy and meaning in the new path ahead of them. Life is made of decisions. It's what we choose and where choose to be that defines where we are heading. A new year is truly ahead of us in IA. Whatever decisions we make, whatever choices we take, even if we go far away, we've already left a part of us with the people we've worked with. That is more than enough to give us hope and move forward. Cheers! PNX - IA Christmas Party 2016