Happy new year, everyone!
I hope your New Year celebration were joyful and safe. It definitely was for my family. A first for us: we heard mass early in the morning. We don't normally do this because we stay up late the night before due to the midnight festivities. But we ended up waking early and deciding to hear mass at the start of the day.
Having a blog makes it very easy for me to see and remember the amazing and memorable moments I experienced in the past. And 2024 was definitely a year to remember.
The highlight has to be taking my family on a safari adventure in Kenya. We got to go to Maasai Mara, Samburu, Lake Nakuru, and Lake Naivasha and see all sorts of animals, including the Big Five. I wrote extensively about this trip, including some travel tips and my final thoughts.
There were many special moments with family and friends. My family and I celebrated my brother's birthday at Mamou. I watched my nephew perform during UST's 34th Sampung Mga Daliri concert. My mom and I went to Batangas to attend a wedding and we spent a relaxed and enjoyable morning in Tagaytay the next day. I attended my friend and colleague's wedding at Tagaytay Highlands. My family and I watched Miss Saigon at The Theatre at Solaire. My mom and I watched Giselle at the Aliw Theater. I got to see my very dear friends Duncan and Amy together for the first time in years! Another first: my family and I decided to celebrate our pet dog's birthday with a special cake. We had an enjoyable team building event in Acuaverde in Batangas. And of course I had a ton of lunches, dinners, reunions, and board game nights throughout the year.
I also got to try a lot of new restaurants: XI by Cafe Guilt, The Fat Seed Cafe + Roastery, Grifoni, Talabar Kitchen and Cafe, Grapevine Manila, Samba at Shangri-La The Fort, Secret Recipe, and Ruth's Chris. I also enjoyed a discounted breakfast buffet at the Westin Manila. It wasn't all new restaurants of course. I got to eat at Corner Tree Cafe again a few times after a really long time (and I'm glad I did because it apparently closed in the middle of the year). And I revisited a lot of old favorites, such as Old Swiss Inn and Cafe Breton, and some new favorites, such as Old Manila.
It wasn't all hunky dory though. I had some medical challenges during the year, including my first root canal procedure. I visited a dermatologist for the first time in years. I also had had a trip to the ER due to abdominal pain, but thankfully I wasn't confined. I also had a lot of expensive repairs done at my pad, including replacing my bathroom tiles and my kitchen faucet. That said, I was surprised at how happy I was by getting a new light fixture and purchasing new pillow cases haha.
I also lost a couple of people this year: Tita Margie and Auntie Isabel. May they both rest in peace. My family also commemorated the death anniversary of Nanay.
My favorite male tennis player of all time, Rafa Nadal, retired towards the end of the year. That said, there were a lot of great moments in sports. Carlos Yulo won two gold medals at the Paris Olympics, Nesthy Petecio won her second Olympic medal, and Aira Villegas won her first. The Alas Pilipinas Women's Volleyball team won Bronze at the AVC Challenge Cup, with Jia Morado and Angel Canino winning individual awards. And the UP Men's Basketball Team won the UAAP Men's Basketball Championship.
I read only one book - The Miracles of Namiya General Store - but it was fantastic. It's the only book that made me cry in public (so far) and it may very well be my favorite book that I've read. I also got to watch a lot of movies at the cinema throughout the year, including Wicked. I got to watch more shows on Netflix and Disney+, such as Cobra Kai and 9-1-1. I also discovered Netflix Triviaverse, where I ended up becoming a Triviaverse God.
Here are a few more interesting experiences and memorable moments. I got my 4th Scrum certification, and the one I am proudest of to date. I spent a wonderful afternoon (and evening) taking photos in UST. I had an awesome Star Wars photo op at the Uniqlo Flagship store in Glorietta 5. I bought a new Seiko watch. I got to enjoy the incredible art of BenCab at the Manila Pen lobby. I acquired several pre-loved books from my friend. I purchased a few Snoopy and Peanuts shirts in time for Peanuts' 75th anniversary in 2025 and I bought some Hello Kitty cookies during Hello Kitty's 50th anniversary. I got a BFF card and a Landers card. Oh, and I got a new role at work.
What an incredible year 2024 turned out to be. Hopefully, 2025 will be just as amazing.
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