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I’m not a big fan of moving. When you’re already familiar with a place—know all the ins and outs, can get home with your eyes closed, memorized all the cool places to eat there—it’s hard to just pack up and leave. But like everything else in life, time has a way of changing the way you look at things.

Goofing off in our then-brand new office

When we first moved from Galleria to our current office on Pioneer, I had to remember the new route to work—is it going to take me longer to get there? Concerns like “where am I going to eat lunch?!” started to pop out on the first week. What, no more favorite and familiar restos just outside the door? On top of that, Roch and I were suddenly seated a floor apart from the Candy Team. Eep. I’ll admit, I hated it. But almost two years later (and two moves), here we are happily adjusting. (:

Our first house in Marikina wayyyyy back when.

It’s been two weeks since we moved out of our old and familiar home. Two weeks since I left Katipunan and re-learned a new route to and from work. But surprisingly, I’m not as bummed out as I expected.

There are lots of cool new places to eat where we live now—I can’t believe I can just walk to wherever so I can “eat out.” I have so many pegs for rooms because I got a go signal from my aunt that we can repaint the rooms (I want to paint everything white!). My cousins are just a flight of stairs away (can you believe we’re 19 living in the compound? 19?!). The living room is so big—perfect for having Band Hero nights (still waiting for the Candy Team to come over and play!). I think when we find a place for my oven to squat, it’ll truly feel like home. (:

What do you love—or not—about moving? Let’s share stories!

Macy

To my dearest guardian angel,

You turned two yesterday.

Has it really been that long? Because it doesn’t feel like it. It only seems like yesterday when you told me to go buy those purple flats (they’re now gathering dust in my closet) because, in your words, what are you going to do with your money… eat it? It only seems like weeks ago when we all went to a crowded bar to cheer for the “vampires” with roses to boot. Remember when you’d rundown the daily countdown at the breakfast table?

There are a lot of things I miss about you. When we’re all huddled in the boys room, busy hunched over the computer or laptop, I can almost hear your footsteps. And then I remember how you’d hover, waiting for a chance to play Bookworm (your record remains unbeaten).

As I write this, I can already imagine how you’d “comment” on my entry in person. You’d visit our blog everyday and you knew my friends from their entries. “Is she the one who likes to travel?” you’d ask. And I’d only laugh and ask why are you reading our site.

The past two years have been difficult but we’ve all grown up and have been taking care of each other just like you would have. I know that the coming years are going to be just as difficult (maybe even more, there are so many changes!), but it’s comforting to know that you’ll always be there to listen.

Happy birthday in heaven, Mommy. I love you and I miss you.

Love,
Macy

Hi Candy Girls!

Happy 2010! Just wanted to share with you what happened to me over the holidays, and what I plan to do this year.

Holiday Highlight: Despite the recession, I received more than a handful of wonderful gifts! Like a little girl, I made sure I waited until midnight to open them. (The drawing is not exactly a gift, but it was a drawing of me on Christmas Eve by a cute 4-year-old, so it counts!)
2010 Goal: Be thankful for everything I receive—may it be a compliment, a present, or even a challenge.

Holiday Highlight: It was a bittersweet time for us since the holidays gave my family a chance to bond, but alas! We were incomplete. There were a few changes (keeping in touch through Skype and meeting up on Christmas Day at my tito’s instead of going to my mother’s side), but we made the most of it by playing games like Pinoy Henyo Christmas Edition, Christmas Jingle Charades, and Merry Christmas Scrabble. It also felt good to see my sister-in-law who came home for the holidays, but it made me miss my bro even more!
2010 Goal: Keep in touch with relatives through creative means. I can send silly videos to my siblings abroad and maybe even set up a monthly get-together for my relatives here. What do you think?

Holiday Highlight: I don’t usually wake up early, but when I found out we were picking up Harry Shum Jr. (Glee’s Other Asian) from the airport at an ungodly hour, I made an effort to be at the meeting point on time and be bright and perky for him. I think all our efforts paid off because he had fun! See our teaser clip here and then read his comments about the Philippines here.
2010 Goal: Sleep early so I can wake up early and squeeze in about 30 minutes of exercise each day. So far, I’ve been failing at it miserably, but I know I have more than 350 days left to accomplish this task.

Holiday Highlight: During the Christmas break, I was scheduled to meet up with my ex-officemates when I bumped into my high school classmate at Starbucks. I haven’t seen her in years, so it was a unique experience reconnecting with her. She told me tales about being married and having a child, while she asked if I was still a workaholic. (YIKES! That didn’t sound so good to me.) After our quick chat, we parted ways and I met up with two friends who used to work for Summit. It’s always fun hanging with them, knowing that we weren’t just friends because we worked in the same company (kind of like school wherein you become friends because you’re seatmates, but after that school year, you forget about each other/move on).
2010 Goal: Work less. Play more. My friends and I plan on visiting Cambodia this year. I was also thinking of going to Canada to visit my sister, but if my brother comes home this July, I’d have to postpone my second trip.

Holiday Highlight: We spent the New Year on my tito’s roof deck, ooohing and aaahing at the marvelous fireworks lit by the neighbors. When I took this photo, I didn’t expect it to land exactly on my tito’s head. It made him look like a guy with a psychedelic ‘fro (which I totally dig).
2010 Goal: Take more pictures. I miss using my lomo cameras.

No day but today!
Mimi

You know what I did during the last days of 2009?

I was cleaning out my room. I used to do this every year, but two years ago, I stopped. So in the last two years, all these things have been piling up in my room. Usually when I get home I just wash up, watch TV until I fall asleep—I never have time to clean up my stuff. I can’t even see my bedroom floor anymore.

So with the long break during the holidays, I decided that it was time to look at those piles and decide if I really needed to keep everything.

After three days, I could finally walk around my room, actually sit at my desk, and not have to look for things inside various plastic bags.

I guess I should do this every year again. It’s fun to clean your room! You discover things you’ve forgotten about (old letters, pictures) and you find things you should’ve thrown out a long time ago (receipts that no longer have anything written on them, haha).

Heading home to my room now,
Macy

One week, eight songs. Here’s how my week went!

Saturday: “Thinking of You”
Spent the longest five minutes of my life with arms raised, trying to record Katy Perry performing this song live. I got goosebumps all over! However, I got so excited that I accidentally sang before her at one part… and it was captured on video. Audio fail!

Sunday: “Smooth Criminal”
As a toddler, I tried to (unsuccessfully) teach Jared how to sing a part of Michael Jackson’s hit with the signature “Ow!” at the end. He surprised me by singing it correctly when we chatted on Skype. Aww! He’s all grown up.

Monday: “I Gotta Feeling”
Roch is back from her vacay! I don’t know why but this Black Eyed Peas song reminds me of her. Somehow it feels like she never left… That same night, I saw the Saturday Night Live episode with BEP as musical guest. I couldn’t help but look at Fergie the entire time. I wonder if the rumors about Josh Duhamel cavorting with a stripper are true. Sad for Fergie since they only tied the knot recently!

Tuesday: “Bad Romance”
Love Lady GaGa and her new songs from The Fame Monster, but I was altogether disappointed with her short guest stint in the Gossip Girl episode. She didn’t even interact with Blair! Would have loved to see Chuck flirt the (under)pants off her. Guess I’d have to settle with watching GaGa’s edgy music video.

Wednesday: “Dreaming of You”
My sister forced me to realize how cheesy I was by emailing me the lyrics to this song I secretly sang for one particular boy. In hindsight, he was a douche. Sadly, I was smitten. More than 10 years later, I still love this cheesy tune. Thank God I’m over that guy.

Thursday: “1901″
Had a cover shoot for our prom special. The photographer was digging this French alternative rock band called Phoenix. I realized I had some of their songs on my iPod because of Gossip Girl. Thank you awesome music supervisor, Alexandra Patsavas! (Speaking of TV soundtracks, check out my top 10 list on Spot.ph.)

Friday: “Possibility” and “Satellite Heart”
Experiencing a post-New Moon haze. There are 13 other great songs on the soundtrack, but the haunting tracks by Lykke Li and Anya Marina are my current favorites!

What about you? What songs moved you this week?
Mimi