2010: 10x'10 (Ten things about 2010)

1. General Luna – S/T (OPM)
Most played track(s): Usok (cover of an Asin song. TBH this is the only track I put on repeat but the rest are OK.)

2. Princess Velasco – Addicted to Acoustic II (OPM)
The album contains acoustic covers of popularized foreign songs. Perfect album for a lazy day or if you want to listen to some light tunes for a change.
Most played track(s): Where Are You Now (Honor Society), Two is Better Than One (Boys Like Girls), One Time (Justin Bieber), Trouble is a Friend, New Divide (Linkin Park).

3. John Mayer – Battle Studies
Most played track(s): Assassin, All We Ever Do is Say Goodbye, Edge of Desire, Perfectly Lonely.

4. Eminem – Recovery
Most played track(s): Space Bound, No Love, 25 to Life, Going Through Changes.

5. Kanye West – My Beautiful Twisted Dark Fantasy
I remember hearing Runaway in some MTV awards show some months prior to this album’s release. After hearing it I immediately said to myself “I HAVE TO HAVE THIS ALBUM!” Hahaha.
Most played track(s): Runaway (the song that got me anticipating this album in the first place), Monster, Gorgeous.

6. Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday
She reminds me of Lil Kim a lot, haha. Hmm, there are a lot of songs that I liked in this album due to I listen to it so much especially when I’m working so I got to listen thoroughly to each one.
Most played track(s): Your Love, Last Chance, Roman’s Revenge, Blazin’, Check it Out, Moment 4 Life, I’m the Best.

7. Slash – S/T
Most played track(s): Gotten, Beautiful Dangerous, Saint is a Sinner Too, Watch This, By the Sword, Nothing to Say.

8. 30 Seconds to Mars – This is War
One of the albums I was really anticipating for its release. I’m happy to say that it did not disappoint me, with the exception of Hurricane (video version) disappointing me upon first hearing it but in the end it all worked out and I started liking that version, too. The video version of the song does not include Kanye, but the video is intense. Really intense. 😉
Most played track(s): Kings and Queens, Hurricane, Search and Destroy, Closer to the Edge, Night of the Hunter.

9. Sleepwalk Circus – Great Secret Show (OPM)
One local musical act I discovered just recently. It all started with this gig I went to with my friends last month. From what I can remember, they were the act before UDD’s set. After UDD’s set, me and my friend left the bar, haha. Their music reminds me of.. Telefon Tel Aviv (minus the turntables/DJs) and UDD combined and Air.
Most played track(s): Wakewalking, Part 2: For You My King (Armi Millare), Freedom in One Second, The Start.

10. Sinosikat – 2nd Album (OPM)
This one was quite hard to find. 😉 I enjoyed their first album but 2nd efforts as we all know, don’t quite come to at par with the debut album so I did not expect much from this one but I still gave it a listen anyway. It’s almost as good at the first one so, good job Sinosikat!
Most played track(s): Wherever You Are, Toilet, Acid Funk, Mr. Musikero.

I know my list isn’t much to be proud of or closer to an “awesome movies list” because two of the top movies for this year aren’t on it (Shutter Island and Inception. Definitely Inception!) but I’m working on it. Currently I am downloading movies that were released later this year. 😊 I don’t take my movies seriously, like I just watch whatever looks okay and I’m flexible with movies too (unless it’s crap like TMHE).

1. CG Overdrive Conference at Singapore
Me and four of my friends went to Singapore and stayed for three days in June to attend a conference that focuses on 3D and computer graphics as part of our 10-seminar requirement for school. It’s the first time I left the country without any companions (family) and almost got to experience traveling alone. Fun experience, tho it would be more fun if I had more money to spend and just one more extra day to enjoy the place. Sadly I did not blog about it.

2. John Mayer’s concert in the Philippines
What makes this event memorable is the fact that I spent half, no, nearly all my savings for tickets to his show. I still get that feeling of regret every now and then but at least I bought tickets that were closer to the stage and the show wasn’t that bad (even tho it was raining and we were soaked but at least I didn’t get sick, haha, lucky me!). Plus he might never come back here again OR I might not get that same chance again to see him + tickets to be that “affordable” in my life. If we’re talking about tickets, the Incubus showtix still win by a mile. All in all, great set, he sounds like he sounds on CD so I am satisfied.

3. My OJT experience
I’m lucky to have worked with nice professionals though I feel bad that I still have some unfinished business with them. Next year I will pass my collateral for their company so I can clear things up with them. How’s business, guys? 😀

4. The impromptu drinking sessions my friends from highschool set up
So many of them that I can’t figure out where to start counting!

5. Those times when I would go to the mall during my break and watch a movie (or shop) with my friend
Haha, this is why this year (or particularly this term) has been quite costly for me. On Wednesdays, if we’re free, my friend and I would plan to meet at school 7 hours early and go to Mall of Asia and watch a movie (or just ‘go and window shop’ or shop if our allowance is enough lol). This “habit” ended when our 6-9M class professor imposed a rule that if you’re late you’d have to treat the class to a Yellowcab Pizza. Since then we started going to school early and just wait until the clock turned 6PM so we can go inside the room early.

6. Attending a premiere night for the first time
I attended the premiere night of Enchong Dee’s movie “I Do” last September. 😂 I have to admit that things aren’t exactly the same as what I had expected it to be. Lol well at least I got to watch the movie for free and I saw this hottie person in the flesh. But wait! I already saw him in personal a few days before the premiere. They had a mall tour in the malls around my area and I went there, and I saw him! Okay enough now, I have an entry about it, here.

7. Going out with my friends to watch some bands live
This originally started around my junior year back in highschool. Back then I would watch bands in bars and take photos of them (not professionally, I was a mere hobbyist “who likes to take photos of musicians performing” then) then it evolved to an interest and every week I’d go out with a friend. The habit died down when I started college because I got so busy with homework and trying my best to get decent grades.

Five years later, fresh from thesis defense, I have some time off and decided to unwind and watch some bands. Just this month I watched around 10 bands. The only difference this time is I’m not concentrated on having the perfect shot or taking photos but simply the time to bond with the people I am with. Shooting on gigs can be done as many times as you want but the time you spend with those people you hangout with is priceless and irreplaceable.

8. My thesis development experience
A few words to describe this traumatizing experience: I do not want to experience this again. Those sleepless nights, lack of sleep, fatigue, not eating on time, literally infront of the computer all day. I blame procrastination, I blame myself! 😂 Still can’t believe I was able to defend everything successfully. I should’ve continued my project after the week of defense but I’ve procrastinated since then.

These bangles I bought from Shop Offbeat!

Books I’ve yet to read

Neil Gaiman, Haruki Murakami and Chuck Palahniuk books and Girl Trouble (a book I got from the bookfair this year)

Gadgets & computer stuff

Seagate External HDD, Canon printer, Wacom Bamboo Fun pen tablet, Western Digital SATA HDD (for my laptop).

Clothes
Not pictured, haha. I’m lazy to take photos of it.

I don’t think I’ve made that many friends this year, just new acquiantances. But some of the people I met last year, I became close friends with. 😊 If I were to list names, I’d put three names of my college acquaintances and three names from my online buddies.

1. School computer labs (cause that’s where my classes are mostly held, not on classrooms)
2. SM Bicutan (Since Dec. 25 I kept going back to this mall lol caught up with the year-ender sale)
3. My room (working on thesis)
4. Tumblr
5. Twitter

Lol #4 and #5, sad.

1. I’m thankful that I didn’t get failing mark in any of my subjects,
2. that I passed my thesis (a “dumaan sa butas ng karayom” experience, indeed),
3. for thew new friends and acquaintances,
4. the four of us are still complete.

1. Alex
2. Friend #1
3. Friend #2

1. “But if you’re not going to do anything and let chances pass you by.. you might regret it in the future.” – Clarizze
2. “You’re lying to yourself.” – Mike R.

I’ve pretty much forgotten how my 2010 started with the exception that I did not get sick unlike the previous years (IDK why I get sick every first month of a new year). Few things that were important to me this year are my Singapore trip and me passing my thesis defense and a smooth sailing year (when it comes to acad stuff) despite the bumps and “trials” out there. This is also the year when I tried my best to be friendly to someone but it seems like my efforts went to waste because up to now I still see 0 progress. Nada. Zero. Nothing. 2010 wasn’t a bad year like for some people, it has its own blend of good and bad moments, that’s it.

I am watching the news right now and TBH, hearing news about loose bullets and fireworks hitting innocent people scare me that’s why I do not want to go out tonight. : Also, I’m kinda scared that this year would be ending in 6 hours (!!). IDK, I don’t feel like I’m ready yet.. but I have to be, what can I do? Stop time and stop the year from changing to 2011? LOLZ.