Feliz cumpleano, mi blog!

Unlike his two predecessors, “Yo Soy Destraido” actually survived for a year. Try as much as I can, the memories of my first two attempts at blog-dom have all vanished. Although there’s this very, very faint recollection of my first blog that was called “Padre Pio.” How that name came about, I have no idea.

How did this blog survive?

One reason is that it was opened at a time when there were major changes in my life. That time, I moved from one ad agency to another, so there were a lot of new things happening. New things I’d like to document and be able to look back at whenever the urge arose.

Second reason was that I began reading a couple of peoples’ blogs and seeing how they’ve maintained it for 3 or 4 years was inspirational. Looking back at their archives and current writing, it’s almost magical how I was able to track the changes in their lives and personalities by reading their thoughts. It struck me in a “hey,-it-would-be-nice-if-I-can-do-that,-too” kinda way.

Third reason is my sudden change of country of residency. I’ve been to Hong Kong so many times before, but this was my first time as a transplanted resident. Seeing the country as a local is very different from looking at it from a “heck-I’ll-be-outta-here-in-5-days-tops” kind of way. There’s more magic and awe, and the best way to keep that feeling is to write it down. Since moving here, I made it a point to write about all those little discoveries – whether it’s a new place, a new person, or a new pair of jeans.

Between then and now, between the first entry and the one I’m currently typing, there have been so many changes and it makes me smile just thinking about them.

The time I began this blog, I was:

1. Working in Makati at GT Tower
2. Was seated with a row of 4 creatives namely Maki, Ge, and the-other-guy-who’s-name-escapes-me-and-all-I-remember-about-him-is-that-he-looked-like-Edgar-Mande-when-he-was-younger-and-thinner
3. Uncomfortable in my new work place
4. Living in Cubao
5. Spending my weekends hanging out with my siblings, parents, nephews and nieces.
6. Doing practically nothing at home thanks to our very efficient ladies: Flor and Joanne
7. Changing clothes often since there was someone there to handwash them.
8. Relishing the experience of taking the jeep-MRT-FX way to work
9. Passing by and passing through Greenbelt, Glorietta and SM everyday.
10. A professor during weekends, teaching advertising
11. A Surplus Shop junkie
12. A People are People junkie
13. A Jollibee junkie
14. Working on a TelCo account, coupled with some creative projects on the side
15. Moustache-less and goatee-less
16. Regularly seeing my friends in Manila
17. The proud owner of about 80 pairs of jeans

On this blog’s 1st anniversary, I am:

1. Working in Hong Kong
2. Given my own office with a nice view of the island
3. Very comfortable with the people I work with
4. Enjoying a working environment with people from more than 10 countries
5. Often having lunch with my two lunch buddies: A Singaporean and a Malaysian.
6. Living in Kowloon, also known as “The Dark Side” of Hong Kong
7. Terribly missing my family. Especially talking to my siblings, seeing my parents, nephews and nieces. Thank goodness I’m just 2 hours away from Manila and can come home every month.
8. Doing my own house chores, like fixing my bed in the morning, fixing my closet, getting my own groceries, and even cleaning my own bathroom. (Mom would be so proud of me!)
9. More conscientious of the times I change clothes because I don’t want to wash them myself. While there’s a laundry shop downstairs, they’ve ruined a couple of my clothes, thus, I make sure that the clothes I wear are machine washable and can be tumble dried.
10. Relishing the MTR ride going to the office. Good thing I live near an MTR station, and my office is near one as well.
11. Missing Greenbelt, Glorietta and SM.
12. Missing being a professor
13. Glad when students write me, or visit me here in HK
14. A factory outlet junkie
15. A Triple-O’s junkie
16. A McDonald’s junkie
17. A Haiphong-street-food-stall junkie
18. A Fa Yuen Street Junkie
19. A Cathay Pacific Junkie
20. An Airport Express Junkie
21. An Ichiban Junkie
22. A Granville Junkie
23. An IFC Cinema junkie
24. A Haw Flakes junkie
25. A Zara junkie
26. Deliriously happy whenever I see my friends in Manila
27. The proud owner of around 130 pairs of jeans (including the ones in Manila and excluding the ones my Mom forced me to give away last December)

From the time I started writing this blog, I have:

1. Met a fellow blogger who worked in the same building – the blogger named Promdi
2. Almost met a fellow blogger here in Hong Kong – Mark of In Transit
3. Found out that 3 of my friends also blog – “Joanne”, Luann and Arnie
4. Been a regular reader and commenter on a number of very interesting blogs – most notably Neil’s Box of Recollections – we share a fascination for all things Spanish, and Michael’s life in Brugges, Belgium – though I can’t seem to find his blog now.
5. Found out that a fellow blogger makes his own ice cream, and I’ve ordered and tried his creations! His Reese’s flavor rocks! Still haven’t met him, though.
6. Looked forward to meeting more bloggers in person
7. Spent my first Chinese New Year in a Chinese country
8. Spent Holy Week out of the Philippines for the 6th straight year
9. Decided to forego my trip to Europe in lieu of a longer trip to Manila and be with my family

Looking at this list that I’m typing in an impromptu manner just now, I’m utterly amazed at how so many things can happen in a year. Thanks to this blog, I can actually remember all these little events, idiosyncrasies, places, people and JEANS that have been part of my life for the past 365 days.

It’s during times like these that I realize that it’s definitely creating and maintaining this blog is a very, very good thing to do.