30 Things In 28 Days

All the while I thought I was gonna sing "Wake me up when February ends."
But hey, notwithstanding the eye bags and stuff, this wasn't a bad month after all.

We know for a fact life isn’t perfect. I found that as an understatement when I woke up to February. I fervently wished it was possible to sleep all the way until the 1^st of March just to get away from it all. Living life wasn’t this month’s theme, really, as it was more of food poisoning, dealing with a few rude students, displacement, and a large percentage of my plans crumbling down. But I did my own data triangulation and according to my little black gratitude notebook, I had many things to be happy about this February. Much to my surprise. So here goes.

- getting a tax refund from the government

- the cold weather that legitimizes my donning long cardigans, blazers and jackets

- my students making me inevitably laugh out loud at the expense of Jake Cuenca

- bonding with mom over a trip to Samal’s vanishing island

- getting a kiss and a hug from Bozo. The little guy is simply adorable.

- celebrating Eizel’s birthday with Reine and Bozo.We decided not to take pictures to prevent any potential paranoia outside us.

- peanut butter sandwich for breakfast

- dusting off my keyboards. That’s a sign I’m rekindling my love for playing it.

- Enna sharing her secret love life to me. ‘Enna’ and ‘love life’ in one sentence IS possible.

- trinket shopping & gift wrapping for all my friends celebrating their birthdays this month

- rediscovering U2

- patching up things with Mikay

- affixing my signature on my resignation letter. Enough said.

- James Franco, 127 Hours, James Franco and James Franco

- updating Krong about my plans and vice versa, from Pancake House to Ice Giants

- finding the perfect corporate dress with my last money

- the perfect black pumps for less than a hundred bucks. They don’t say “You have a PhD in thrift shopping” for nothing.

- a not-so-ordinary V-day

- our newly renovated bathroom. You should meet our awesome neighborhood carpenter.

- donuts, donuts and lots of donuts. Note to self: this shouldn’t be on the list next month.

- seeing the workshop outputs of my SSP 7 Hitchhikers Guide to Mindanao students. That exact moment, I was proud to be a teacher.

- realizing that despite the population of airheads, there really are notable yet modest students in my classes

- bumping into best friend Suey of sueysuper.blogspot.com after an interview I wasn’t so sure I rocked. And getting a hug from her.

- Dinners with significant people in my life: Ate We, my favorite cousin Elle, my dearest Ate Che and Kuya Alvin

- conversations with Lozi of lozibalasi.blogspot.com. I wish she had been my student in my other subjects.

- thrift shopping the whole afternoon away with my professor turned colleague turned happy buddy Shang, and ending the night right at a classic ice cream parlor.

- this white long sleeved button down handed down by mom and how it matches my denim cut-offs and my new havaianas

- realizing all over again why Grilled Cheesus is a psychic sister (that is more than a best friend) to me.

- discovering the wonders of Magnolia’s caramel cheesecake ice cream. Finally, my family knows another ice cream flavor than coffee crumble.

- the 24^th of February that marks 2 years of companionship with the love of my life