Thank you, Merci, Gracias, Arigato, Mahalo, Salamat!

Americans and americanized friends, I know today is really your holiday... But, may I just borrow it for one blog post? Just one, I promise! Anyway, eating turkey is not really a pinoy thing and I don't think a "one whole lechon manok - chopped" from Andoks would look as regal as a 12 pound roasted bird at the center of the dinner table. So I guess one blog entry would suffice. (Or, maybe once a year? Let's nego.)

[Wait, break muna... Pinsan E, I distinctly remember your house in Merville where you had so many "yummy" farm animals (why do I sound like a carnivorous T-Rex all of a sudden?). Guys, i'm not kidding! They had pigs, chicken and their chicks, and TURKEYS in their own backyard. If I'm not mistaken, those were the only times I ate turkey and I remember liking it, although now I don't really remember what it actually tastes like 'cos that was like... 14 years ago? Damn!]


Ok, back to my trail of thought before I get lost from all the side stories.

Isn't Thanksgiving universal? Yes, for you Amerikanos, I know this is the holiday about the american indians (sharing a turkey with the cowboys, was it? I think I'm embarassing myself). Wait, what really happened?



On the other hand, what I would like to blog about is thanksgiving. The one that's more culture-flexible. The one that applies to every human being in this planet. In tagalog, "Pasasalamat" (root word: "Salamat" meaning "Thank you"). 

So yeah, we're down with "Pasasalamat". Here are a few pasasalamats of my own:



(To prove my point that thanksgiving is universal, I will now attempt to write in my native tongue 'til the end of this blog post)

Sa aking pamilya, sa walang-sawang suporta sa lahat ng daang itinahak ko sa aking buhay, Maraming Salamat!

Sa aking mga kaibigan, sa pagbibigay ng kaligayahan sa akin sa tuwing tayo'y nagkakasama. Kahit na ano pa ang aking pagdaanan, nakakalimutan ko sa tuwing humahalakhak na tayo dahil sa ating sari-saring mga kababawan. Maraming Salamat!

Sa aking mga ka-opisina, nararamdaman ko ang inyong paniniwala at suporta sa lahat ng aking desisyon at ginagawa sa trabaho. Maraming Salamat!

Sa aming kasambahay, Jecel, kahit na lagi akong nagkakamali sa ispeling ng pangalan mo (parating Giselle ang tawag ko sa kanya), sa patuloy mong pagtulong sa mga gawaing bahay at pagpapasensya sa minsang katarayan ko. Maraming Salamat!

Sa mga kinakainan ko araw-araw (mcdo, country style, mary joanne's kitchen, BYR, glorietta food court), dahil ako'y isang matakaw na tao na hindi marunong magbawas ng kinakain. Kahit na ako'y nananaba na at ang "holiday weight" (ipagpaumanhin, hindi ko talaga maisalin sa tagalog) ko noong nakaraang pasko ay hindi na nawala, tunay na lumiligaya ako kapag nakakakain ng masasarap na pagkaing handa ninyo. Maraming Salamat!

Sa milyon-milyong pinoy na may ginintuang puso, na sa kabila ng kahirapan at dagok ng buhay, nagsusumikap at nananatili parin kayong mapagmahal sa inyong kapwa. Maraming Salamat!

Sa milyon-milyong katauhan sa buong mundo, sa inyong paniniwala na ang lahing pinoy ay isang dakilang lahi. Sa inyong pagbibigay ng karangalan sa aming mga kababayang tunay na ipinagmamalaki ng aming bayan, kagaya nina Efren Penaflorida, Manny Pacquiao, atbp. Maraming Salamat!

At sa iyo, sa pagbabasa sa aking mga munting saloobin. Maraming Salamat!

 Ikaw, kanino mo nais magpasalamat?

Happy New Year, Happy New Career!

Ok yeah it's a little bit too early for new year festivities. It's not even December yet.


Oh come on, just let me let it out. I just can't hold it in anymore. Lately, my friends often catch me being a little too quiet one minute, then suddenly bursting with "I can't wait for this year to end!" the next minute. When asked why, I usually answer with "nothing!". 

Well, obviously, this is not "nothing". This is definitely "something". For me, at least.


Here's the reason for my recent mood swings: A big change concerning my career will come to pass this January 2010. So, will you, please, repeat after me: Happy New Year! Happy New Career!



Thank you.

The nature of both my current and future jobs does not allow me to reveal too many specifics, so forgive me if sometimes I sound a bit too cryptic in my blog posts. We're all very secretive in this industry. We even talk to each other in our own secret code language, e.g. "The eagle flies at midnight!", "The circus elephant is in the rabbit hole.", "Mr. L is in the building.". (To be honest, I kinda like it. Not that anyone cares that I have a secret or anything)

So, these are the only things I can say for now:
1. I will still work in the same industry.
2. I will still work for the same company.
3. I will finally walk the long, winding, and utterly fulfilling road to my dream career.


I was not the type who always knew what I wanted to be when I grow up. At 7, i wanted to be a doctor. At 10, I wanted to be a scientist (really, until after a few years when I realized that to be a scientist you have to actually be good in science). So at 12, I wanted to be a lawyer, because everyone else wanted to be a lawyer. At 16, I wanted to be a fashion designer (from lawyer to fashion designer, where did that come from?). 

Then, I graduated high school. Then, I was in college, that time in our lives when we're supposed to begin the long walk to our future careers. That was the time when we're supposed to be able to already envision ourselves doing whatever it is we were destined to do. So what about me? Doctor Iza? Scientist Iza? Atty. Iza? Fashion designer Iza?



I was starting to get anxious. What am I supposed to do with my life???



In the midst of all that soul-searching, I began to write. I wrote my thoughts, I wrote letters, I wrote stories, I wrote poetry. When I was happy, I wrote. When I was sad, I wrote. When I was pissed, damn it, I wrote! I wrote at night until I fell asleep. Next morning, I wake up still holding the pen I was writing with the night before (I kid you not, this happened A LOT). Every ounce of passion I had in me was dedicated to writing, and it was all I ever really enjoyed doing (aside from reading, for one cannot live without the other).



That was how I finally discovered who I want to be. I don't know why it never occured to me before. It woke me up like ice-cold water thrown at my face (but in a good way). Eureka! I want to be a writer! I was probably about 20-21 y.o. when I discovered this... and unlike my childhood dream jobs, I haven't changed my mind since.


Then I got into advertising. It's been a little over 2 years since I started working in this industry. I've done some creative writing tasks, here and there, but I have yet to call myself a copywriter. That was until just a few months ago, when I saw an opportunity... and damn it, I took it!

Starting January 2010, I will fully enter the creative world. I am now being mentored by one of the most idolized and brilliant creative minds in Philippine Advertising. I am very lucky and grateful for this opportunity. It's overwhelming and terrifying at the same time. Kind of like the feeling of being in luuuuuurve.

It's a risk, alright... but it's a good risk. What are we supposed to do with good risks? I say just close our eyes, let our instincts guide us, and take that proverbial leap!

So here's to next year... and the next... and the next... and the next! Wish me luck, my friends!

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On other news... 

Congratulations to Mr. Efren Penaflorida, for being named 2009 CNN Hero Of The Year. Efren started a "pushcart classroom" to bring education to less-fortunate children in our country. 

It's people like you, sir, that make me proud to be a Filipino. Mabuhay ka!

"Our planet is filled with heroes, young and old, rich and poor, man, woman of different colors, shapes and sizes. We are one great tapestry," Peñaflorida said upon accepting the honor. "Each person has a hidden hero within, you just have to look inside you and search it in your heart, and be the hero to the next one in need."

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/11/16/cnnheroes.tribute.show/index.html

Watch the video to see Efren accept this great honor.

Iza is 87% addicted to facebook

Oh Gaaaad... This is not a good sign. Actually, i'm a little suspicious. See, I don't play those super addictive games that require you to log-in and check your account once every hour. You know what I mean: that farmville thingy, that mafia nonsense, that restaurant city madness, not even that bejewelled hoo-ha (which BTW is becoming a cause of serious competition at work. I'm not kidding! everyone in our office plays this game but me and everyone is dead serious about being the "highest scorer"). The only game I ever was addicted to in facebook is that typing maniac thing, and the last time I played that was about a month ago (when I levelled up to "cyborg" status). Hey, no offense to those farmville maniacs, but think about it... If i'm 87% addicted now, then how addicted will I be when I start farming and taking care of those barn animals?

You know those facebook quizzes everyone takes and posts on their walls? I seldom do that too (except for this how addicted to FB are you thing, anyway, it's not even a quiz... it's an app. I clicked the button and it mis calculated how "addicted" I am). I may have done one or two of those quizzes once or maybe twice in a month. Does that make me an addict? I don't think so... (Denial, stage 1)

If you are my facebook friend (which you probably are, since most of you who read my blog are people I know personally anyway) and you happen to chance upon my wall, then you'd see what I really love doing when I'm logged in. I update my status once in a while, comment on my or my friends' wall posts, and post links or interesting photos. Such as these...

  

I once read this article about how facebook promotes narcissism in Gen-Xers and Gen-Yers. Says it's a channel where narcissists can shamelessly self-promote themselves with their glamorous pictures, engaging personal profiles, and interesting wall posts. Now, like I said, what I love about facebook is how it allows me to interact with current, new, and old friends anytime (via the comments). Apparently, that makes me a facebook addict. Fine. (Acceptance - stage 2) BUT... Does being a facebook addict make me a narcissist? Nah, don't think so (back to stage 1).

Don't we just love sharing interesting stuff we "stumble upon" in the www? Don't we just love interacting with people, making friends laugh, making "chismis" (in a good way if there is such a thing). If that makes us addicted to facebook, then I'm with Amy Winehouse on this one - "They tried to make me go to rehab, but I said NO, NO, NO..."

At least these guys get it...