days of auld lang snow

it snowed on new year's eve. not as bad as it did before christmas, but this one came with mighty wind chills.

all the more reason to ring in the new year indoors, with the highlight of the evening being the ball drop at times square on television. it was all quiet in our neighborhood. they don't do fireworks on new year's eve around here. they're saving it for independence day.

to see the food that was on our "media noche" table, hop on over to miss igorota's blog who will happily show you.

2008 was a year of travels, trips to the aisle (for a high school friend and a college pal) which i both attended--one as a bridesmaid and the other as a de facto wedding coordinator/emcee/AVP creator; little triumphs for myself and family, as well as some tribulations. notice that the categories all start with "tr"? i'm an alliteration freak like that, sometimes. some highlights...

travels:
-i had the opportunity to travel to the philippines twice last year, the first was for a wedding but the second one was for a beloved grandmother's funeral. these trips allowed me to revisit capiz, my home province, and bond with relatives and schoolmates, as well as see pan-ay church for the first time. my recent trip to the philippines reminded me how truly unique christmas there can be; and i also set foot in mindanao for the very first time--specifically in polomolok, south cotabato. there i tasted durian-flavored ice cream and pie! i have yet to post pictures from that trip.
-coincidentally, i got to visit luneta twice. one can't help but feel patriotic in rizal's deathplace. here i am staring back at the "kilometer zero" orb across rizal's monument.

-on my mom's birthday, we toured texas, "where everything is big."
-i got to spend most of my summer in new york city and saw a lot of discounted broadway shows, such as "mamma mia!" and "legally blonde". one balmy autumn day, my sister and i saw the new york city waterfalls in south street seaport.
-also during the summer, i experienced crabbing at tuckerton, new jersey.

triumphs:
-passed an exam.
-made new friends both in the blogosphere and in the real world.
-we got two new cats. they are now 9 months old. they're very feisty.
-launched miss igorota's travel blog and invited other people to photograph the doll in their respective locations. i admire the talented and intelligent co-bloggers that have joined this "sisterhood"!
-i drove from home to newark airport and back. it's the farthest distance i've driven here in new jersey! haha. i'm a cowardly driver on the interstate highway.
-discovered postcrossing, a cool way of collecting postcards from around the world.

i'd rather not dwell on the tribulations, but simply acknowledge that they happened and learn from them, and cherish the memories of the loved ones i lost. the new calendar on the wall signifies a fresh start, a chance to do better things, experience new things, keeping in mind that life is to be enjoyed, not to be spent sulking around or worrying. i am alive, that alone is something to be thankful for.

hello, 2009!