525,600 Minutes
But most times, tomorrow never comes. We keep pushing back when we’ll do the things we know we should do right away, and then life gets in the way.
As in the case of this blog. Suddenly, a year has gone and I can’t believe it went by so quickly. Looking back on the 12 months that had passed…
When I left TNS, I didn’t want to “burn bridges” as has been so common among those who resign from the company. It has always been my plan that when I leave, I will have the option to go back. Now I do, and though I can’t say if I will ever go back, it’s very nice to have that option.
In my exit interviews, my main point has always been that I wasn’t resigning because of issues with TNS but that I was choosing to transfer to Unilever because I want to take the opportunity to grow. The long hours and heavy workload, reporting to 2-3 bosses and all the kinks in the work process — all have been constant issues and somehow I got used to them and they no longer mattered. Or at least, not enough to make me choose to resign. But the offer to work in Unilever came and I knew it was too good and too rare to pass up. I believe that agency work has given me knowledge and experience in the more technical aspect of things, but I also believe that in order to reach my goal of reaching the level of a trusted business adviser, I needed to be closer to the business, on ground where everything happens, so I could learn more about what I’m advising my clients on.
- Game Night for my despedida – bowling & Guesstures
And so I was off to Unilever. It was a big adjustment to come from being the big sister of one team to being the youngest in another. But all about being closer to the business and on ground where everything happens? Most definitely.
I got to travel to Sagada for a second time and enjoyed the caves and waterfalls. I went to observe fieldwork in Davao and took several days off work to see the sights. I was also planning on going to Singapore. The last time I was there was probably 8-10 years ago and I’ve been wanting to see how much it has changed, not just in pictures. That didn’t push through though. I guess this is what it means to be an adult. Setting priorities! (Not that kids don’t. Or maybe parents do that for them.) Though I didn’t get to travel out of the country in the past 12 months, I’m certainly looking forward to making up for that in the coming year.
In October, my parents went to Hawaii to stay with my Ate for a few months. She gave birth to my third nephew (her second son) on October 24. I’m super excited to see him this coming April.
I turned a quarter of a century. The first time I celebrated my birthday without my parents since they were out of the country. I made it a point to celebrate extra-special since I’ll only turn 25 once. I hosted a dinner for close friends on the eve of my birthday. Everyone from our group in college was in attendance and that was probably the best gift I received. On the day itself, we hosted a lunch for family. Same restaurant for the dinner and the lunch!
It was also my first Christmas without my parents. It was equal parts less and more hectic, I would say. Less hectic since they weren’t around to decide on gifts for neighbors and family friends, so we didn’t give out any in time for Christmas (they did that when they got home, in time for New Year). More hectic because the responsibility of running the household was on my shoulders and my Kuya. But it was a good learning experience all in all.
New year, new life. Armed with my Starbucks 2011 Planner which was a gift from a friend, I felt ready to take on the year. There’s something about the last few days of the old year and the following first few days of the new year that makes people so optimistic about everything. Hope, maybe? The hope that things will be better in the coming year. That we’ll be better persons as well.
I didn’t think about making “update blog” as part of my New Year’s Resolutions. They all seemed to revolve around keeping fit physically and financially. As well as taking more care of my dogs. I believe I had a very different attitude about my NYRs this year compared to the previous years. I was more realistic this year, more grounded. I knew it made no sense to expect for such drastic changes. I told myself that the key was in taking the STEPS towards those changes, so that eventually they cease to be “drastic”. Little steps, slow but sure. Like maybe drinking a little more water each day. Or eating a little less junk food. Not “drink 2.5 liters of water every day”. And not “no junk food”. I think what’s important is taking the steps towards the goal, rather than jumping on it, then being so shocked you jump right back where you came from. Or even farther back.
And so, I do my best to drink a little more water each day. And I won’t say I’ll update this blog weekly, but I would definitely update it before March 7, 2012. 
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear
How do you measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife
In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure a year in the life?
How about love? Measure in love
Five hundred twenty-five thousand journeys to plan
How do you measure the life of a woman or a man?
In truths that she learned, or in times that he cried
In bridges he burned, or the way that she died
Let’s celebrate
Remember a year in the life of friends
Remember the love!
Seasons of love!
You know that love is a gift from up above
Share love, give love spread love
Measure, measure your life in love
(Seasons of Love – RENT)
Hello world!
And so I start a new blog.
As I prepare to end my 3-and-a-half year stint in TNS (this coming week is my last), I begin to think of the people and things I will be leaving behind. Sure, I’m off to make the most of a very exciting opportunity, but I can’t help but look back on the happiness that I have had in my first job. TNS took a lot out of me, but it gave a lot back to me as well.
Why Paddle Like Crazy?
I got it in a forward, Bo Sanchez’s article — “Fight The Relationship Drift”. Following is an excerpt:
Warning: There’s a cruel epidemic afflicting our families, our marriages, and our friendships. It’s called the Relationship Drift.
It’s a very devious disease. It’s like some cancers. You really don’t know you have it until it’s fatal. And then it’s too late.
And then Relationship Drift becomes Relationship Dead.
… One day, you know the disease had run its full course because you wake up one morning not caring for the other person anymore.
… Here’s why: We live in a busy world.
… It’s natural that you drift apart. You don’t have to be a bad person. You don’t have to be Adolf Hitler or The Joker. You don’t have to be obnoxious, selfish, or evil to cause the disease called Relationship Drift.
Two people in a relationship are like two little boats floating on the sea.
Problem: There’s a current that will slowly pull the two boats apart. Before they know it, the two boats are miles away from each other.
Friend, there’s really only one way to fight the drift: Paddle!
If you don’t want to drift, you’ll have to go against the flow and paddle your way to each other. You’ll have to work hard, muscle your way, sweat like crazy and fight to be together.
… You really only have two choices in life. You either Drift or you Paddle.
It moved me. So many times we say we’re just too busy to keep in touch, but I believe that we choose to be too busy for certain people in the same way that we choose to make time for others. I choose to make time for my family and friends, especially now that I am about to begin a new chapter in my life. This is one way I thought of doing. This is my part in keeping in touch.
And so, Paddle Like Crazy.
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