Dear stranger,
I think I'm the only blogger I know who's just about to post a New Year entry. Shame on me. I guess there's no point in telling everybody how my end of the year went, but if anyone is curious, I spent it with my family in the seaside. It wasn't as grandiose as last year's celebration though I kind of expected that because 2010 wasn't such a grandiose year either. I'm really sorry everyone, but I promise to blog more this year!
So, here are the best and (if I'm shameless enough) worst bits of my 2010:
1. Exchanging really long e-mails with Isabel Harlaar from Holland. We both share our love for Godard films (or French new wave in general), Valentine Fillol Cordier, mind trips to Paris, Old Hollywood, Chet Baker, slapstick comedy, classic movies and tv shows and books, etc. We are both learning French and playing the ukulele. And she's basically the sweetest person I know!
2. Learning French through Byki (recommended by Isabel), Pimsleur and my Franco-Italian online teacher, Ms. Paganin, although I have not finished my self-studying works for her yet (oops!) I feel like Jenny Mellor slipping French phrases in everyday conversations.
3. My loving father bought me Margot, my ukulele which accompanied us through boring trips out of town. I learned to play The Beach Boys, She & Him, Ricky Nelson, The Beatles and Bee Gees songs, as well as Roy Orbison's Blue Bayou which I love to play oh so much. Also, Galbis gave me a harmonica!
4. I saw The Beach Boys in the Araneta Coliseum. It was spectacular! I was the only minor and I shared a binocular with this rich businessman beside me who saw them already in San Francisco! It was so much fun dancing and singing along. They performed my favorites: Kokomo, God Only Knows, Surfer Girl, Good Vibrations, Don't Worry Baby and Wouldn't It Be Nice. I hope to see more live performances of my favorite artists this year.
5. It's the first time I celebrated Jimmy D's birthday with the people I love. We had dinner at the 50's Diner! Hmm.. How will I celebrate his birthday this year? With Isabel of course!
6. Discovering new music. Welcoming great music/ artists such as francais chansons, wonderful movie soundtracks, The Chordettes, The Springfields, Midlake, Dean Martin, etc. to my iTunes! I cannot believe I just started listening to them, they are all amazing!
7. Meeting new Tumblr friends. Salut!
8. Coming home from the airport with my friends' family (they're cousins). It was almost 9pm, I was listening to beautiful music and I was trying not to drift into sleep. Think listening to The Only Living Boy in New York whilst driving home after a tiring road trip with friends. It was the moment I felt "infinite".
9. I have seen the most beautiful movies this year. I think that's something I love about 2010. An Education, Micmacs A Tire Larigot, Where the Wild Things Are, Ghost World, The Graduate, Jeux d'Enfants, Une Femme est Une Femme to name a few. I was also introduced to Godard and the world of nouvelle vague cinema.
10. Christmas with my family! We didn't exchange gifts but we saw tons of Christmas specials and sipped hot cocoa before bed. Days before that spent with my family was timeless as well.
11. Book shopping! Before the end of the year, we must've bought every book we need to read for this year. Thanks mom xx
12. Learning to sing in French is an accomplishment! I have countless francais chansons now that I can sing!
13. And finally, Bowie, our shih tzu pup! He's adorable! He's playful but most of the time he would just sleep under our parents bed. He is very smart too, just like us! My mum is afraid of him though and she just jumps and runs away from him all the time but she touched him before she left! Believe me, it's a once in a blue moon thing!
And for the worst bits, I don't have a lot that I'm brave enough to post but anyway:
1. Growing apart from my best friend, Roxanne. I've finally accepted it though. If you think about it, it's much better. We both are living in different towns now, we're both very busy with our own business(es) and we almost have nothing in common, to be honest. We're still friends though!
2. Losing more friends along the way. It's probably for the best.
3. Moving away from the city of pine. It's something I regret and something I also believe was good for me since I have been very depressed during my first semester there. Of course it's hard to adjust from having my sisters with me anywhere I go to being on my own, especially in a conformist town like Subic.
4. I might be studying in the lousiest school right now. My old college school was quite a stressful one with all the oral examinations, etc. but now I'm not learning anything! I might even know a lot more than my teachers (and it's not something I'm proud of). I do have plans of transferring to a new school. It's still uncertain though because I will have to start all over again if I did transfer!
5. Deleted Somesinatra. I'm really sorry about this everyone. I missed my old posts as well. I needed a fresh start but I might have not thought of it through. But Isabel thought it was a good idea and now I am so glad of how my new Tumblr is turning into.
Happy New Year everyone! I hope and I pray that this year would compensate for 2010. I hope everyone would meet new friends, hate less, discover new things, celebrate more tea parties, have more infinite moments, experience wonderful things and be more adventurous this year!
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Still not everyone is having a bright beginning. Please pray for the victims of Queensland, Australia. Donate if you can.
