The 2015 Year-End Survey

Thank you Aggie for tagging me!  I had fun (and lots of realizations) after filling out this survey.  Sobrang late ko nga lang natapos (2016 na!) but I think it’s not too late to share this.

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What did you do in 2015 that you’d never done before?

Swim with sea turtles at Apo Island in Dumaguete!

Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don’t make resolutions at the start of each year.  Boring ba?

Did anyone close to you…

Get married?  No.

Give birth?  No.

Passed away?  No.

I guess the answers above really gave away my age hehe!  Most, if not all, my close friends are already married with kids (and no one has plans of having one again sooner).  Ako na lang ang hinihintay nilang magka-baby.

What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?

Courage.  Part of me still want to go back to my “comfort zone” and give up this opportunity to lead and step up.

What date(s) from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

December 30, 2015.  The date when the title to the property I invested in last year was delivered to me  =)

What was your biggest achievement of the year?

No doubt it’s the surprise nomination to #Bloggys2015!  That was a major achievement for me as a blogger.  I never imagined I’ll get this far, and the fact that I was nominated by my readers made it all the more special.

At work, it would be surviving my first year as head of a department.  Although my designation is only in acting capacity (meaning, my designation is not yet permanent), it was a big, big deal for me and I had to adjust to a lot of things too.

What was your biggest failure?

I would say it’s my failure to make follow-up visits to my doctors.

Did you suffer illness or injury? 

Thankfully I didn’t.  Suffered little bruises after doing an “amazing race” in a teambuilding activity, but nothing serious.

What was the best thing you bought?

It would be the teacups!  I started collecting teacups in 2015, and I hope to see it grow in 2016!  My favorite so far is this Lomonosov teacup duo in stunning Cobalt Net design.  My goal is to get its partner teapot  =)

Whose behavior merited celebration?

Hmmm….couldn’t think of anyone.  

Where did most of your money go?

Uber rides??  Haha!  I had to adjust my work hours last year (which required me to stay longer at the office) so I get uber cars for my ride home (instead of having AJ pick me up).

Oh, I also splurged on a Mansur Gavriel Mini Bucket Bag.

What song(s) will always remind you of 2015?

It would be the haunting opening soundtrack of Game of Thrones, which I began watching only last year.  I am so looking forward to season 6!

Game of Thrones violin cover by jasonyangviolin

Compared to this time last year, are you…

Happier or sadder?  Happier!

Thinner or fatter?  Fatter!

Richer or poorer?  Neither!

What do you wish you’d done more of?

Read more books.  I missed my book reading time (during lunch breaks) because all the little break time I have, I use for catching up on emails.

On weeknights I’m too tired to open a book and read a few pages, so I watch movies instead.  On weekends I try to finish a few chapters before going to sleep.

What do you wish you’d done less of?

Done less worrying and panicking (at work) and done less procastinating (at home).   In the end, the problems I dealt with at work at the start of year were still the same problems I have at the end of the year (recurring issues k’se).  Had I channeled all those minutes and hours of worrying (for nothing) into more productive activities at home, ang dami ko nang projects na natapos.

How did you spend Christmas?

Christmas Eve was spent at home with the hubby, and our Noche Buena was all store-bought.  On Christmas Day we checked in at Hyatt City of Dreams.  (Read more about our 2015 holiday highlights HERE.)

Did you fall in love in 2015?

Yes – with teacups haha!

What was your favorite TV program?

2015 was about Eat Bulaga’s Kalyeserye, so Kalyerserye it is haha!  Yes, I’m a certified Aldub fan!

What was the best book you read?

I read so few books last year, but Erik Larson’s Dead Wake was the most riveting and interesting.  Well-written and thoughtfully researched, this was the only book I read night after night while wishing it wouldn’t end too soon.

What were your greatest musical discoveries?

I came across this 2014 musical movie titled “Rudderless” last year, and the band in the movie (with Biilly Crudup and Anton Yelchin in the vocals) was so raw and honest, and the songs are all original.  I fell in love with some of them like “Real Friends” and “Beautiful Mess”.

Check out this clip from the movie wherein the band performed their first song together, “Real Friends”:

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?

Nothing new (denim pants, Lacoste shirts) except that I’ve added long-sleeved denim shirts (all from Uniqlo) in my wardrobe.

What did you want and get?

A travel vacation which the hubby and I actually plan and take each year.

2014 was supposed to see us exploring Davao but we both have to cancel that trip due to work.  Thankfully, nothing like that happened last year (2015) and we were able to get our much-needed vacation and travel adventure in the land of gentle people – Dumaguete!

What did you want and not get?

Something related to work (which cannot be divulged here) but no complaints.  If hindi pa panahon, then hindi pa.

What was your favorite film of this year?

I pick 3:  The Martian, Inside Out and Dope.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I went to work on the day of my 37th birthday and then the husband surprised me with an overnight stay at Hyatt City of Dreams (read about that HERE).  I hope there’ll be a repeat this year, especially since my birthday will fall on a weekend hehe!

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Nothing.  Despite the little bumps I encountered, 2015 was a good year for me.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What kept you sane?

Family. Faith.  Friends (I have very few, but they’re there when I need them) and Instagram!

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Alden + Maine, the 3 Lolas and Baby Baste!

What political issue stirred you the most?

I do not really monitor the news, but there are 2 significant events that I believe shook Philippine politics so badly, it became the everyday discussion at work and at home: the PDAF Scam and Mamanpasano incident.

Who did you miss?

Had I answered this survey in December last year, I would write “Liam”.  It was the first time that my brother and his family didn’t spend the holidays with us (but my parents went to Cebu to be with them, leaving me and AJ here in Manila as taong bahay hehe!).

But my brother, Juvvy and Liam are currently in Manila now (they’re staying here until Sunday) so as of this writing, my family is complete (and no one is missed).

Who was the best new person you met?

You know how it is when you are given more work responsibilities, your social life suffers hehe!  My blogging activities dwindled in 2015 and I have to give up on a lot of blogging assignments because there’s simply no time anymore.  As a result, I did not get to meet or get connected to somebody new (outside work) last year.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015.

It’s all over in this recent blog post of mine hehe.

Life isn’t smooth, but it’s the bumps that help us find out who we are. And it’s handling the bumps that gives us courage. – Sarah Mogan