"Life is made up of lists".....

... and this is according to lei. I agree with her. While I was initially packing some stuff for my trip this Friday, I was in chillax mode and started accessing the web: checked mails, updates in facebook and latest blog entries from people.

Okay call me gaya-gaya puto maya, after reading lei blog entry about her "First List for 2008", I got I couldn't help but blog about MY LIST. Hahahaha! But in fairness her entry made me smile. I was just astounded because she wrote it beautifully. Everything that she placed was so true, almost anybody (including myself) can relate to her.

People want everything organized and in order. By doing this, people make lists so that they can arranged their things-to-do according to prioritization and can see if everything that is needed to be done is covered. For instance, I love making lists. Whenever I start my day at work, I write down the things that I have to do. And at the end of the day, if I accomplish each item and place a checkmark at that item, I just couldn't help but smile from Mercury to Pluto. Nakakatuwa kasi pag nagawa mo siya or pag may na-deliver ka, eh di okay! I guess I owe it to SGV's Task Planner. I love that notebook so much, I wish we have that at my current employer.

I miss my Task Planner... can someone make nenook for me this useful thing! Siyempre ubos na'to deebuhzz??

Okay let's shift from work mode to personal mode. Whenever I travel, I couldn't help but write down my "things-to-bring". It makes me think and assess on the necessary things to bring. It is a way for me not to stuff planet Earth at my suitcase. Oh yeah, and I do this 2 days before I leave the metropolis or the country. After making the list, that's when I start packing my suitcase.

My ever dependable DDI notebook... the to-do's and gladzalwayshappy cashflows are placed here.

Omigosh I am a super fan of grocery list as well! Although my mother does the grocery (it's her Zen moment actually), but whenever I insist on doing the household grocery from time to time, I make sure that I have a list so that I won't miss any item that must be bought.

As weird as it may sound, making lists is so therapeutic. Whether we indicate it electronically, tear a piece of paper and make bullet points right before that thing that has to be done or place it at Post-its, if we achieve all of 'em it just makes our day so complete.

I love what Leahloo wrote in her entry about the "Five Things I Would Rather Do Instead of Work" and "Five Things To Do In 2008". That "Five Things" thingee reminds me of John Cusack's movie called High Fidelity (circa 2000, it's about QLC for men and John Cusack's character, as a compulsive list maker, recollected his top five break-ups... hehe!).

So yeah, let me try this...

Five things I Would Rather Do Instead of Work:

1. Take pictures
   
2. Read travel books (Lonely Planet, Frommers, kahit Insight Tours or Travalgar Tours yan papatulan ko!! Hahaha!!)
   
3. Play tennis
   
4. Play the guitar and sing all day long
   
5. Do a DVD marathon

Two words... WHY NOT!! Hahahaha!! Maybe I'll take a one-day off and do all these things. Wow sarap!!

Five things I Want to Do in 2008:

1. To travel - The world is such a big place and there are so many things to discover God's wonderful creation. So this Friday, I'm flying to Bangkok (after four months, since I was there last November), the racletteers society and I will go back to Bora and relive the Bora 2006 moments (tentative date is after holy week pero goodluck nalang in filing a leave for this... if not we will have a beach trip somewhere along Luzon) and the AC 2-3 Chismosas gang and I strongly plan to go to NYC and attend Iyay's wedding (kaya ipon ipon ipon for the ticket and accomodation... worse case scenario we might end up in YMCA... but hell to that we're gonna have a blast there and throw Iyay the craziest bachelorette's party!). Well it's only February and there may be endless possibilities for me to see what the world can offer.
   
2. To practice humility - Naku ang hirap! I must admit that pride eats me up whenever I am placed in crucial predicaments. But I just pray and call out God to bless me with the gift of humility. Faith just works. I still keep on praying that I'll be able to sustain humility and not to fall on the temptation of pride. Nga pala, Pride is part of the Seven Capital Sins.... Nooneeennooo.... LORD BLESS ME WITH HUMILITY OH-KAY.
   
3. To buy a nice camera and take pretty pictures - I think that'll be my Christmas gift for myself... save up some moolah (or let the plastic swipe away its glory) and I am so getting a Canon EOS!! =) I want to capture everything that is beautiful.
   
4. To feel and be beautiful inside and out - Nope I will not go to Vicki Belo or Dr. Calayan. How to be beautiful inside? I guess I'll be doing a lot of introspectional activities such as recharging spiritually (go back to Days and I'm looking forward to the Anniv Mass) and reflecting personally with those whom I love the most (My folks can be my target market for this). Yeah, so prayer is my source of inner beauty and strength. How to be beautiful outside (and not spending so much)? Eat healthy food and go organic all the way, use oatmeal as my mudpack, use my ever reliable portable facial sauna often and regularly exercise (I am so going back na to play ultimate and bikram - nakakaganda rin ng skin yun!).
   
5. To love, be loved and find peace...world peace? - S**t I sound like a beauty queen here. Self explanatory. Period.

Last December 20, I had coffee with Lei and I was at my the most discombobulated state ever. Worse than QLC, it was so nakakaloka! She uttered simple yet striking words on what to do and I was enlightened. This state continued until first week of January and then I realized that it's pointless to be confused and I just let go..... It felt and still feels liberating. Just like what Leahloo said, if before I didn't know what to expect in 2008, I think and feel that 2008 for me will be promising. =)

Such is life... buhay nga naman!

** first pic ain't mine