We all need one. With all the stresses of work, adult life, school, and other stuff, a nice change of scenery is a good way of getting away from all of that.
I was due for mine and it couldn't have been timed better.
Ah yes, the obligatory wing shot. This was taken on my flight from ICN to NAIA. I couldn't take any from my LAX to ICN flight because we were seated in the middle rows. Never again. It was more cramped and uncomfortable vs window seats. Sigh. That was a long, miserable flight that I spent either asleep or watching through the whole Star Wars franchise. (I only got through A New Hope before passing out.)
We took Korean Airlines. As much as I love flying, I officially hate airplane food. Of all the airlines I've been on, KoreanAir takes the cake (lawl) of having the worst food. I thought Asiana had awful food. Ugh, this was worse. I was tempted to request yogurt at every meal.
However, KoreanAir has one of the best services. The flight attendants were so friendly and accommodating. They spoke good English - but hey, I did my best with my classroom Korean. Both parties appreciated it. On my ICN to NAIA flight, our row got a "flight attendant oppa" that made it hard for me to take a nap or concentrate on anything. Yes, I threw all shame to the South Korean airspace and took a stolen shot of him. And thanks to my Korean language lessons, I was able to read his name in Hangul. By the end of that 3-hour flight, he remembered my preference for pineapple juice. LMAO.
(The K-pop fan in me love riding Korean airplanes. Their audio selection is close sisters with my iTunes at home. And you can make playlists! So I filled mine with WINNER, Akdong Musician, Toy, Block B, Taeyang, and 2ne1.)
I get asked by many, "What do you do whenever you go back to the Philippines? Do you visit beaches or hike the mountains?" My short answer to that is, "I eat." And that's pretty much it. See, I'm a city girl and growing up, I'm all mountain'd and beach'd out. I appreciate it but frankly, I don't care for it. (Give me an opportunity to SCUBA dive though.)
Really, I just love going to malls and eating the things that I could not get here. Even the things that I could get here are waaaaaaaay better in the Philippines. Malls there are like Westfield malls on steriods. On every corner. And er... with USD, everything there is affordable. I think I bought 8-9 pairs of footwear? Heh. Here, you have to force me to buy shoes!
A show of hands, please. When you were kids, how many of you wanted to be an astronaut? I sure did. Together with being a paleontologist, vulcanologist, musical theatre performer, and everybody's favorite, a doctor. Obviously, I'm none of that now. Kids tend to dream bigger than adults. Right now, I just want to get a bigger paycheck and free stuff. LOL.
Speaking of free stuff...
It was Museum Free-for-All Day on January 25. It's one of my favorite city-wide events. This is my second one so far and I'm always on the look out for the next one. (Thank you, Yelp!) I've always loved museums and I can spend HOURS getting lost in them. During my time in NYC, I was literally 5 blocks away from the Guggenheim and The Met. There were days when I stayed there almost the whole day, from opening to closing. That place is so HUGE.
Here in LA, we don't have The Met. But we do have many other museums spanning different interests. Last time, my mom and I went to the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust. It was an eerie and humbling experience. This time, we went to the California Science Center to see the Space Shuttle Endeavour.
I've been here before when they had the Mummies of the World exhibit about 3-4 years ago. The latest I've been to the area was KCON 2013. Before my we went to the museum, we took photos at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, site of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games.
The Olympic Games will always hold a special place in my heart. I was born exactly on the date of one, the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics. Same year, same date. :)
I could not find an "End of 2014" survey that is not about books. So I might as well use the one I filled up last year. It should be interesting to compare answers.
What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?
Dyed my hair! And I'm keeping it red. And KCON!
Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I made good with one: to start formally learning a foreign language. I did that for roughly six months then I plan to continue on my own. I've acquired a couple of books. Especially next year... we're going to South Korea!
Did anyone close to you give birth?
I won't say "close" but some school friends had babies this year.
Did anyone close to you die?
Again, not close but some people that I knew.
What countries did you visit?
None. I will remedy that in 2014.
What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
A better-paying job. Again. But to be fair, my job in 2013 paid better than the one I had in 2012. If it follows the pattern, I hope to get a better job in 2014 with all the benefits.
What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
December 2, 2013. Not just because it's my brother's birthday. It was the red carpet premiere of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. I cannot gush about that event enough. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Hmm... being able to have short but straight conversations in Korean. :) It was a once-a-week, two hours per day class in a span of six months but I did okay in that short amount of time.
What was your biggest failure? I try not to think of those.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
It seems that my voice is not going with me in 2014. At least, it's going to be late.
What was the best thing you bought? The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey 5-disc extended DVD set. This brings me so much joy.
Whose behavior merited celebration?
Pope Francis, I guess.
Whose behavior made you appalled? If I answer this truthfully, I'll get a lot of hate. It's not a fandom thing... it's a real life thing for a change. I guess I'll just keep that to myself.
Where did most of your money go?
DVDs. Bath and Body Works. Hot Topic. Especially around the Black Friday weekend. And yeah, KCON.
What did you get really, really, really excited about? The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug premiere. I never saw this coming. LOTR events were always either NYC or NZ. Finally they have something for LA and I dropped everything just to be a part of it. Twelve years is a long time to wait. No more.
What song will always remind you of 2013?
2013 is more about movies for me. I listened to the same bunch of songs and even the 2013 releases didn't stand out to me that much.
Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) Happier or sadder? Happier.
b) Thinner or fatter? About the same.
c) Richer or poorer? Richer.
What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish I wrote more. Even fan fiction. Especially fan fiction. ;-) And crochet. My stash of yarn is growing faster than I can stitch. The season for crocheted goods isn't that long. And oh yeah, watch more movies.
What do you wish you’d done less of?
As always, spend. But no regrets! crocheted good season is not very long.
How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent it up at the Hollywood sign!
What was your favorite TV program? Storage Wars. I'm not even kidding. XD I could watch HOURS of this show. The original one, not the Texas spinoff.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I actually scratched a name or two off that list this year. Improvement!
What was the best book you read? Enders Game by Orson Scott Card. And I have to say, The Maze Runner by James Dashner. Serena by Ron Rash is a contender but I didn't breeze through that as easily as the other two.
What was your greatest musical discovery?
I'm still very much in my K-pop bubble but I'm slowly coming back to indie, folk-y music, thanks to Spotify. Sophie Madeleine is one of those finds.
What did you want and get? An Amazon Kindle Fire HD! Don't get me wrong, I love real books and my nook isn't bad. But I really wanted a Kindle for the longest time. I have Kindle apps on my phone and iPad but being the dedicated tech person that I am, I needed a separate Kindle. And I fulfilled last year's answer to the next question, a new MacBook Pro!
What did you want and not get? A new iPod. Still debating whether to get the Touch with the camera on the back or the Classic. Leaning more towards the Touch though. It's an extra camera for events and whatnot.
What was your favourite film of this year?
I have a list. In no particular order:
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Pacific Rim
Catching Fire
Thor: The Dark World
Gravity
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 25 and I was at work. I planned to go to NYC and watch Orlando Bloom in Romeo and Juliet but no dice.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Sweaters and boots. I finally got one of those Converse boots. And some very cute white Doc Marten-looking pair from Forever 21.
What kept you sane?
Fandom. Lately, I cannot stop talking about either The Hunger Games and/or The Hobbit/LOTR. And good books. I've been using the hell out of my Kindle Fire HD since I got it and I'm lucky that my picks have been good ones.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Josh Hutcherson. Shoot me. He's younger than me but hot DAMN, when he's in Peeta mode.... he's hot as hell. He's cute as himself too but add my automatic sympathy for Peeta, I can't handle it. And yes, I have a pillowcase with his face on it. Two of them.
What political issue stirred you the most?
That Napoles debacle in the Philippines. Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago PWNED!
Who did you miss?
My dad. And my brother. It's times like this when I need someone to geek out with.
Who was the best new person you met?
Our red carpet premiere group is growing. :)
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013: Just have fun. And acknowledge the signs. -- ditto!
I love it when things creep up on you. I love discovering new things. I wasn't looking for anything really. It's like... they found me.
A lot of firsts happened during the 2nd half of my 2012. First KPOP concert, first time to go back home to the Philippines after 3 years, first birthday party in 15+ years. I also crossed out a couple off both my wish list and bucket list. So many good things, so much love happened in these latter months.
But I have to say the highlight of it all is the epicness that was the BIGBANG Galaxy Alive Tour... experience. I find myself still pinching myself. Did that really just happen? It's not just about the concert... all the other good stuff that happened. My fangirl moments. It felt so good being able to lose your cool like that. I haven't done than in a loooooong time. I do know exactly how much I spent on the whole thing but I don't regret a single cent. It was a birthday and Christmas gift to myself. Sometimes, when I listen to Fantastic Baby, I forget that I actually saw it performed live in front of my very eyes five times. And when it hits me, I turn into mush. It was so awesome and humbling to witness such talent from those guys. I hope I get to see that again.
BIGBANG came as a surprise to me. Back in high school when the Asian wave hit the Philippines, I was attracted more towards CPOP and Taiwanese dramas than the Hallyu wave. Only very recently did I hit my head and realized how rich and high quality it is. And it's a good thing that 2NE1 and BIGBANG were the ones that reintroduced me to KPOP. I realized that I still dislike some of it (I initially did not like the overly manufactured sound KPOP had. Some groups still have that today, unfortunately). The talents from YG Family are definitely top-notch and I would gladly listen to them any time. (EPIK HIIIIGH!!!)
My decision to go to the 2NE1 concert was completely impulsive and I am glad I went after it. I've never had so much fun at a concert! That was my first taste of a KPOP concert. I did all those things... sang along even if it meant butchering the lyrics, dancing the correct choreography and all. I didn't get a lightstick but it was okay. I did get two at the BIGBANG concert though and oh boy, how fun was that?! XD
Other concerts I went to are both at the Hollywood Bowl. I grew up listening to Barry Manilow music and I finally got to watch him live. I pretty much melted during Weekend in New England, one of my favorite songs of all time. I also went to that Filipino celebration thing. I enjoyed the Pinoy talents enough but I pretty much lost it when Black Eyes Peas (sans Fergie) and PCD Nicole Scherzinger took over the night. Speaking of Black Eyed Peas, I saw apl.de.ap and will.i.am twice this year -- at that Hollywood Bowl thing and the 2NE1 concert. Yeah, they closed the show with the girls.
November, I went back home with my mom to the Philippines. It was bloody hot but it was nice to see family and friends again. Nothing like the warmth and love of the people you grew up with. And the food... you can't beat food in the Philippines, I'm telling you. It's also in the Philippines where I got my first BIGBANG CDs. And my new makeup love, Etude House. If you look at my stash, one would think I went to South Korea instead of the Philippines!
December gave me two of my most anticipated movies: Rurouni Kenshin live action and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Sure I saw Rurouni Kenshin during my flight to the Philippines but in December, I saw it in the cinema with my brother. Then watching The Hobbit with my two favorite geeks before flying back to the US. I ended up watching both movies multiple times.
So that's it for 2012. I had so much fun. It was a long rollercoaster ride and I still don't want to get off. But I have to move on and hope for better things to come. I hope 2013 holds bigger and better things for me. Unlike the previous years, I have plans this time. We're not getting any younger and I think it's about time for me to work out something in my life.
I love these survey thingies. I stole this from someone on LiveJournal... and subsequently lost the site when my browser died. Heh, convenient.
What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?
Hmm... celebrate my birthday with a party. A pool party! My last legit birthday party was almost 15-17 years ago. LOL. Yeah.
Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any for 2012. For 2013... maybe. Mainly just to read more and blog more. And I have a few goals set for next year.
Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not very "close" but some people I know added to their families.
Did anyone close to you die?
Not really "close" to me.
What countries did you visit?
Japan and the Philippines
What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
A better-paying job. Really.
What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
2nd of November. BIGBANG Alive Tour in Anaheim. The first of two incredible days. I was VIP and we were witness to that awesome soundcheck where G-Dragon first performed Crayon as part of the concert. It was an incredible display of talent and I will never ever forget it.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I guess being able to pay for my and my mom's plane tickets to the Philippines. I know it's not much but considering how much I make and I was able to do that on top of my BIGBANG expenses, I'm pretty proud.
What was your biggest failure? Erm... I don't dwell on the bad things.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
I'm sick right now. And I can't remember whether my bout with hives was this year or last year. Anyway, I was out for a week... miserable to the bones.
What was the best thing you bought?
My VIP tickets for the BIGBANG Alive tour. Best $300 ever.
Whose behavior merited celebration?
???
Whose behavior made you appalled?
Those who voted "no" for the RH Bill in the Philippines. I mean, have you even read their "reasons"?! My god... and people vote for them. I don't know who's dumber.
Where did most of your money go?
It went to YG Entertainment and LiveNation. I went to 3 LiveNation/YG concerts this year, bought merchandise and CDs from YG Inc. And oh yeah... boots and scarves and jackets. I love cold weather fashion.
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
BIGBANG Galaxy Alive tour stops in Anaheim, CA.
What song will always remind you of 2012?
BIGBANG - Fantastic Baby
Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) Happier or sadder? Happier
b) Thinner or fatter? THINNER!
c) Richer or poorer? Richer
What do you wish you’d done more of?
Read and blogged.
What do you wish you’d done less of?
Spend. But I don't regret anything BIGBANG I've done.
How will you be spending Christmas?
With mom, hopefully at the Universal Studios.
Did you fall in love in 2007?
Not in the strictest sense, no.
How many one-night stands?
0
What was your favorite TV program? Spartacus: Vengeance. Game of Thrones.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
It's still the same on the list.
What was the best book you read? Hmm... probably the A Song of Ice and Fire books I've read so far. GRRM is amazing.
What was your greatest musical discovery?
BIGBANG. I mean, I'm aware that they existed but since I'm not the biggest fan of KPOP, I didn't pay much attention. Until earlier this year. I got reintroduced to their music and realized what genius is in there. I don't think I've listened to an English song at length in the past 9 months.
What did you want and get?
VIP tickets to the BIGBANG concert. Yeah, even if it meant I was to go twice. And a Samsung Galaxy S3.
What did you want and not get? A new Macbook Pro. Sigh. That means I can't get a new iPod either.
What was your favourite film of this year? The Avengers!
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 24 and I had a pool party two days before the actual day.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
I love cold weather fashion. This year, I tried to add color to my wardrobe.
What kept you sane?
Discovering new music.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
BIGBANG. Especially GD&TOP. Apart. Together. I don't care! XD And also, Jeremy Renner. He's hot... omg, I can't even explain what he does to me.
What political issue stirred you the most?
RH Bill in the Philippines.
Who did you miss?
My dad.
Who was the best new person you met? Fellow VIPs during the BIGBANG concerts. Finally, people who understand!
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012: Just have fun. And acknowledge the signs.
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: WOW... FANTASTIC BABY!
lord of the rings. k-pop. marvel cinematic universe. the hunger games. sherlock. harry potter. csi. criminal minds. anime. fighting games. final fantasy. running man. jrpg. generation kill.
