01/01/11 Out With the Old and In With the New and All That Stuff

(At my other blog, I call myself The Leaf Guy)

It’s 2011, hey! And I started it off pretty great. All I do today is lie down, watch some Vampire Diaries, read and eat.

I’m eating a lot these days, and that’s a good thing. My Ma says I shouldn’t think twice about spending on food. As always, Ma’s right. :D

Yesterday. 12/31/10

Present status: alone on New Year’s Eve here in the big bad city. See, I really can’t take too many absences from work. My officemates tell me the limit is six days; anything beyond that and I can kiss staying in the company goodbye. And I want to be a SENCOR regular; I’m getting used to the job and I guess it’s safe to say that I’m good at it.

Achieving that means cutting my holiday visit to Bicol short. And that’s what I did. I took my usual 8 hours of TSW updating last Dec 23. By 3pm, I was at Bench in SM Megamall buying Christmas presents for my Pa and my Kuya and my Ate Gie and—with my Ate Dith’s help— to Toy Kingdom for a teddy bear for my baby niece, Kyla. I was on a shopping frenzy; I wanted to buy everything. That’s usually the case when it’s payday (the woman from Accounting came for us earlier that afternoon) and I got money to burn.

I was thinking, What the hell, it’s Christmas. Go crazy with the spending. :D

By 7:30pm, we were at the Cubao terminal waiting for the bus for home. I was miserable throughout the trip. I hate long bus trips— it’s cold, and bumpy and uncomfy and by the time we arrive home, I’m hurting EVERYWHERE.

Christmas (which also happens to be my Ma’s birthday) was pretty great, even if I stayed in my room most of the time reading the Harper Connelly novel I got from the Research group Christmas party. While my relatives ate and sang Justin Bieber on the videoke (over and over, by the way) I was in Memphis, Tennessee solving a murder with Harper and Tollliver. It’s a bit sad, but hanging out with the cousins and distant relatives isn’t really my thing. I had more fun reading and playing with my 1-year old niece, who thinks her Tito Jay is ‘pogi’. Of course, I believed her. Kids never lie at that age.:D

On Dec. 26, we had a family lunch at one of the town’s fancier restaurants.  By 5pm that same day, I waved goodbye to my family as the bus rumbled on for Manila. My sisters and aunt were staying until Jan. 1^st. It’s just me going back. Oh well.

Dec. 28 through 30—worktime. Got part of my 13^th month pay on the 30th.

And here I am, New Year’s Eve. All alone. Well, sorta. My two cousins are in the same house as me, but you get what I mean.

So, here’s what I did on the last day of the year:

I had a shopping frenzy for the round fruit stuff people usually get to welcome the New Year: apples, oranges, pears and grapes (they’re not actually perfectly round, are they? But they’re close enough). I was advised to fill a bowl with rice and sweets and coins, and I did that too.

When it was almost lunch time, I showered and dressed and headed over to TriNoma to eat. I ordered the Chicago Filled pizza at Sbarro and a raspberry drink. For dessert, the choco calzone I loved. It was an interesting experience; it was the first time I spent New Year’s Eve away from home. Interesting; but not unpleasant.

Usually, I’d be helping my Ma with the fruit salad and the other desserts she prepares for the occasion.

I wandered around, haunting gadget shops and bookstores. I’ve got my eye on a Nintendo DS Lite. Hmm, maybe when I saved enough money. I browsed Powerbooks for this novel I was desperate to buy:The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. I got one and I happily left the store with it tucked under my arm.

I went to Starbucks for coffee and a slice of cookie dough cheesecake. And then I went home, but not before stopping at Centris to look around.

The late afternoon and the night passed quickly as I finished Pugad Baboy and continued with The Red Pyramid. Later on, I watched some more VD eps. I took a break to cook up some pancakes (round food for the New Year, right?). And then I took out some coins and placed them on every windowsill in the house.

I was emulating my Ma with all these stuff. She does all of these back home for the New Year.

Before I knew it, it was almost 12. My phone, my watch, the house wall clock and the TV countdown show weren’t coordinated. So, every time one strikes 12, I take a bunch of leaps. Another New Year thing. I bet you do it too. :D

I continued with my VD marathon and by 2am, I said a short prayer of thanks and switched off the light. I guess it would’ve been more fun if I got a lover to greet me a Happy New Year and would give me a goodnight kiss (even if only via phone call) before I turn in.

Well, maybe this year, I’ll get that. :D

Today. 01/01/11.

I got a phone call from my family in Bicol today, asking how I was. Everything’s good, I told them. And then I did my usual lazy routine during holidays. Eat, watch DVDs, eat and watch DVDs some more.

Fruit is a huge part of the menu today. Buttered pancakes and apples and grapes for breakfast. Rice and ham and grapes and oranges for lunch. And so on and on and on until I consumed them all.

I like fruit. I think my nose’s starting to look like a pear.

The most interesting thing I did today is that I made a new Tumblr account. Hence, this new blog. I used to be the Ghost dude, now I’m the Leaf Guy. My last one, Ghost Over the Roof lasted for six months. I was kinda sad to see all those posts go (I had some really good ones) but hey, clean slate’s good.

And yeah, I just watched Tinkerbell and the Great Fairy Escape. It was awesome! The wholesomeness almost killed me. Seriously. I like Disney stuff. 

Happy New Year!

I hope we all have great one. :D

- The Leaf Guy