147/365 - Putting Mileage on my Feet

I've been doing a lot of walking lately.

These past three days have been somewhat amazing for my feet. Like I said before, I walk to work every morning. My route is about 2km long and it takes me around twenty-five to thirty minutes. Not a bad pace, considering I'm wearing my work attire and I'm lugging my backpack filled with notebooks and my packed lunch.

It has been tiring. But I'm glad I have the opportunity to actually do some physical activity everyday. I'm trying to match this with eating a bit less, so that hopefully when the "intense" Christmas celebrations arrive, with the Christmas parties, get-togethers, and dinners, I'll have shed enough weight that I won't get fat after the holidays.

Another great thing about this is that I'm also sort of preparing myself for my family's holiday vacation. We're going somewhere out-of-town and we'll be doing lots of walking.

Out.

146/365 - Sleepy Christmas Mornings

Enjoying the cold mornings. Either that or feeling really, really cold.

Decembers are really cold in the Philippines. Not as cold as other places, yes, but the cold you feel is still a pleasant kind of cold.

I saw this cat outside work, sleeping. I really have no clue if it is enjoying the cool morning or feeling real cold. But when I saw it, I admit to feeling a tinge of jealousy. How I wish I could also sleep late and enjoy the cool weather while it lasts.

However, Jack Nicholson's Joker said it best: "You can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs." Meaning I can't really get what I want without doing anything to get it. Similar to the old saying, "God only helps those who help themselves."

Strange that I've been so retrospective lately.

Out.

145/365 - New Job, New Experiences

Finally got to use my bag for work again.

So I started my new job today. It wasn't really anything that I expected, mainly because I really didn't know what to expect.

I think I said this before, but I left my previous career as a 3D artist and moved to a new career in the automotive industry. Since I have zero experience there, all my expectations basically were wrong.

So how was my first day? Very tiring. I was not prepared for the tons of manual labor we had to do, moving inventory around, moving around a lot to get to the stock room and back, and all the information I was learning during the day was a wee bit overwhelming.

To be honest, I feel great. I have a job again, my first day was very productive, and now I'm doing things my wife and I know I hate doing... Say again?

This new job has given me new experiences. I think it also will help me break out of my comfort zone. I've been spending too much of my life making choices that are comfortable for me. I think it's time I finally did some things I don't like doing, making new sacrifices that will eventually pay off - not only financially but also in my growth as a better person.

I really won't be giving any opinion about the job yet. It's too early for me to give an honest opinion. I will approach this new opportunity with an open mind. Hopefully greater things will happen.

Out.

144/365 - Starting the Month with some Birthdays and Anxieties

Martina the birthday girl with her very proud and happy daddy.

Martina's Peppa Pig themed red velvet cake.

December usually starts with a bang for me. There are three very important people who all celebrate their birthdays in the first week of December.

The bang gets even bigger this year since I'm finally starting my new job on December 3. After spending a little over two months unemployed, I finally found a job.

Not that the job was hard to find, since I knew the owner of the company I am joining. The reason why it took so long for me to take the job is pretty complicated, and something I'd not rather broadcast in the cyberworld for anyone to see.

So what am I doing up so damn early? Aside from the fact that my wife and I leave the house early to avoid traffic, I also woke up around 2am. It was probably because I was already asleep by 8pm last night, but also because of the new job.

I'm not really good at controlling my anxieties yet. A new job features new challenges, and my biggest challenge right now is parking space. Seems petty, yes? Indeed. The reasons why it bothers me are:

1. My new office is above a car service center, so once the parking outside needs to be used by clients' cars, I'll have to move to the back roads and park along the street.
2. It's a new area, I'm a bit unfamiliar with the streets and one-ways and side streets. Also, I'm unfamiliar with how safe it is to park along the streets. Makati is notorious for being towing cars parked along some streets and this sort of bothers me.
3. The car I drive isn't mine. So if anything happens to it (knock on wood) I don't know what I'd do.
4. Oh, and I suck at parallel parking. Because I try to avoid doing that like the plague.

One suggestion I'm thinking of doing is parking near my wife's office and commuting to my new office. The big problem here is that parking in Makati isn't cheap. Right now with what I'll be taking home, this will test my budget to the limits. I'll have to see what happens.

Then again, to be honest, I hope I'm over thinking things. Maybe once I get into the groove I'll look back and laugh at all these anxieties of mine.

I just wish I could find a way to fix the way I think.

Out.

143/365 - December Rolls In

Santa figurines Martina and I painted a few weeks ago.

Another 30D shot. I'm still rusty.

Finally, December has arrived. One last month before the end of the year, and the arrival of a new one.

I have been very introspective these past few months, and what a journey it has been. I always thought I analyzed myself a lot before, but now I just feel like I've been dissecting myself from head-to-toe.

It's all for the good, I suppose. Looking back, there are some things I think I'd like to do differently (quitting my previous job without a new job waiting for me is one of them) if I had the chance. However, this does not mean I am ungrateful for the experiences I've had these past months.

I'm becoming more self-aware of my faults, and I've been more conscious trying to overcome them in whatever way I can. I just lack that consistency necessary to be a really better person.

The only disturbing thing recently is that I've been feeling very depressed. More so than usual, and I don't think it's because I'm unemployed. Part of me is feeling very self-defeating. This is the major challenge I face right now, and I'm hoping that these next few chapters of my life can fill me with the strength to overcome these weaknesses of mine.

Out.