JCLA

NYE 2011: Chilled with the Godfamilia playing drunk Apples to Apples and drunk Dance Central until 4AM.

01/01/11: Flew back to LA, first class. Got smashed on the way to Denver. Continued the festivities while waiting for my connecting flight to LA. Great way to start the new year.

5 Takeaways from Hawaii

1. I was asked if I was Military at least 10+ times during my trip. I ask myself if I will venture down that path every day.
2. I am not proud that I opted out of PT (aka 7+ miles of running while singing cadences) with Mark’s cousin’s husband at 0530 on Monday morning.
3. I will get buff like those dudes from the Paradse Cove Lu’au, with takeaway #1 as a primary motivator, and takeaway #2 as the final act of lethargy.
4. I will have a tattoo by the end of the year. Maybe even two.
5. I now understand why some Filipinos who live(d) in Hawaii consider themselves more Hawaiian than Filipino. The culture is so rich and well-integrated that it’s hard not to love being a local. I will now indulge in books until I find myself in the 808 once again.

Update on life:

I work 80+ hours a week. If I am lucky, I get 4-6 hours of sleep a night. I try to fit in working out/running in between. When I am not at work, I am usually at the Mejia house. The end.

2009 in Retrospect

Never got a chance to post this until now. Keeping up with tradition since 2005.

1) Was 2009 a good year for you?
Again, the innate optimist says yes. A few apparent road bumps, but I’m still here, and for that, I am thankful.

2) What was your favorite moment of the year?
USC Commencement Week 2009.

3) What was your least favorite moment of the year?
Long story. If you’re important to me, you know the story. If you think you’re important to me, ask.

4) Where were you when 2009 began?
I can’t even remember. At home, I think?

5) Who were you with?
If I was at home, then I guess I was with my basement?

6) Where will you be when 2009 ends?
Either at the Mejia residence in Burbank or somewhere in Hollywood.

7) Who will you be with when 2009 ends?
If the former, I’ll be with the Mejias. If the latter, I’ll be with the hometown hero Ernest Lindain and his boys from UConn.

8) Did you keep your new year’s resolution of 2009?
Pre-NYE 2009 me talked about figuring out if I would stay in LA or go back to JC. As 2009 panned out, I moved back to JC from August to October, then I spontaneously came back to LA on Halloween and have been here ever since.

9) Do you have a new year’s resolution for 2010?
Operation NOCS, first and foremost. Rebuilding burnt bridges, second.

10) Did you fall in love in 2009?
“Nah, never that. I don’t let girls get close to me.” — 2009.

11) If yes, with whom?
N/A

12) If yes, do they know?
N/A

13) Are you still in love with them?
Let’s chill with the “in love” questions.

14) Do you regret it?
I’m not the type to regret.

15) Did you breakup with anyone in 2009?
Not exactly.

16) Did you make any new friends in 2009?
Yup.

17) Who are your favorite new friends?
I don’t play favorites, but thanks to the Sining Ginto family for taking me during the course of the year, especially when I came back to LA.

18) What was your favorite month of 2009?
May or July.

May because

1. I graduated from USC.
2. My family got to meet my friends and their families while they were in LA for my graduation.
3. I was in Vegas for almost half of the month.

July because

1. I knocked out a lot of things on my “To Do Before I Move Out of LA” (for 3 months), including roadtrips to the Bay and SD with Rich…who lived with me in LA for at least one month.
2. I threw a pretty kick ass Going Away Party before moving out of LA (for 3 months).
3. I ventured cross country again with two of my closest friends.
4. I reunited with a bunch of hometown heroes when I returned to Jersey City.

19) Did you travel outside of the US in 2009?
Nope. I am lame.

20) How many different states did you travel to in 2009?
18. Wow.
SoCal, NorCal (yes, two different states), Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Washington D.C.

21) Did you lose anybody close to you in 2009?
Rest In Peace, Prasaya Xaymountry. I know it’s been almost two years now, but it feels like it was just yesterday.

22) Did you miss anybody in the past year?
“Distance makes the heart grow fonder. no homo.” – Me, 2005.
“Homesickness is just a state of mind for me. I’m always missing someone or someplace or something. I’m always trying to get back to some imaginary somewhere. My life has been one long longing.” —Elizabeth Wurtzel

23) What was your favorite movie that you saw in 2009?
Avatar in IMAX 3D. Because I helped make it.

24) What was your favorite song from 2009?
1. Craig David - Insomnia / Wheesung - Insomnia
2. SNSD - Tell Me Your Wish (Genie) / SNSD - Gee
3. Guru Josh Project - Infinity 2008
4. Taylor Swift - Love Story
5. Wonder Girls - Nobody

25) What was your favorite record from 2009?
1. Taylor Swift - Fearless
2. Kaskade - Strobelite Seduction
3. LMFAO - Party Rock
4. Lady GaGa - The Fame / The Fame Monster
5. SNSD - Genie (The Second Mini Album)

26) How many concerts did you see in 2009?
A bunch. I can’t remember them though.

27) Did you have a favorite concert in 2009?
I wish I could say the SNSD concert at the Hollywood Bowl in July 2009, but… damn.

28) Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2009?
Actually, no. I gave up alcohol for Lent, and after my 22nd birthday, I limited my alcohol consumption. I don’t drink unless 1) the occasion calls for it, and 2) I am with people I consider family.

29) Did you do a lot of drugs in 2009?
Aside from the occasional cigar and/or cigarette, I am clean.

30) How many people did you sleep with in 2009?
Haha.

31) Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?
Ashamed? Of course. Regretted? Never that.

32) What was the biggest lie you told in 2009?
Biggest lie I told myself was that I’d be able to find a job easily straight out of college.

33) What was the worst lie someone told you in 2009?
Haha, I don’t want to blow up anyone’s spot.

34) Did you treat somebody badly in 2009?
Yes.

35) Did somebody treat you badly in 2009?
Yes.

36) How much money did you spend in 2009?
Too fucking much.

37) What was your proudest moment of 2009?
USC Pilipino Graduation 2009. For obvious reasons if you’ve attended a P-Grad before.

38) What was your most embarrassing moment of 2009?
Can’t think of anything too embarrassing.

39) If you could go back in time to any moment of 2009 and change something, what would it be?
That one night in Jersey City.

40) What are your plans for 2010?
Go big or go home. Literally.

I have a lot on my mind; therefore, I will write. Eventually.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a workaholic.

While en route to a second Christmas party, my boss called me at 5:30PM asking me to come in to the office to take care of an emergency situation. 30 minutes later, I am at the IMAX Office pretty much saving everyone’s asses.

I have been on the phone with one of the full-time guys walking through some of the most crucial aspects needed by IMAX theatres worldwide in order to rectify the situation — and learning much more about the Digital Department in IMAX within the past hour compared to everything I learned the past 1.5 months.

I do not mind being here on Christmas Day one bit.

…

And in retrospect, my lack of annoyance probably stems from my innate desire to put others before myself. This quality is a double-edged sword, but at this point in my life, I am so used to putting the well-being of my peers/organizations/work before mine that I often tend to forget to give myself the acknowledgment I do not seek for but damn well deserve.

In other words, show be the full-time salary and benefits! hahaha

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO MY TUMBLRAH RAH AH AH AH ROMA ROMA MA GAGA OOH LA LA WANT YOUR BAD ROMANCE!

I haven’t updated this thing with something substantial in a really long time.