Sunday, January 03, 2010

Glancing Back at 2009

At the beginning of 2009, I wrote Glancing Backward, Looking Forward to have a vantage point of the path I've taken thus far, and a mapping of the course I wanted to take for the brand new days ahead.

This time, I am going to write two different posts. The first, a brief recap of the events of the past year. Hopes for 2010 will be in the next.

2009 has been very good to me. Some of the plans I drafted at the start of the year were actually realized.

1 I spent the first light of the new year with my mom and two sisters in Seattle. We explored the Emerald City of the Evergreen State as we rekindled the ties that bind us. I summarized our discoveries in Seattle Sights.

2 I adjusted pretty well in my new work area, PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit). While there, my hospital and the Daisy Foundation recognized my two years of hard work in Telemetry with the Daisy Award.

3 I had hoped to discover L.A. and its neighboring cities with Angelino. Not only did that happen, but I also had my Mom and youngest sister in tow. Images of our adventures in LA-LA-LAnd and its outskirts are posted in April 2009.

4 There were exactly 13 live performances I attended last year.

One circus: Cirque Du Soleil's Kooza;

Three musicals: Rent, Mamma Mia! and Dirty Dancing;

And nine concerts: Divas 4 Divas, Hollywood Bowl Opening Night, Beyonce, John Williams, P!NK, Martin & Gary, U2, Andrea Bocelli, and Lady Gaga.

Wow! :)

5 I dated again after so many years of not being in the scene. And I committed my very first formal declination of affection in Hard To Say It's Over.

I attended a gay speed dating event for the first time. They weren't kidding about the speed. Daters had to get to know each other in 3 minutes and then it's off to the next table. It felt like dancing Rigodon in lightning-fast tempo. Fun but exhausting.

There were also dating mishaps during the last quarter all summarized in Something for November.

So, I did give dating a chance (several, actually) as per my resolution and welcomed a little bit of romance in my life, but to see the end of my single-since-birth existence has yet to be checked-off.

6 I had my freshman orientation to West Hollywood. I also attended my very first gay pride festival - in Palm Springs. :)

7 Traveling to another city or country was one of my goals. I realized that in my seven days of Chicago.

8 I have been blessed to celebrate another birthday and I did so in the happiest place on Earth.

9 Angelino turned one year in November. Yup, my little boy is growing up. And there have been changes to his look throughout the year.

But true to my minimalist inclination, I didn't pimp him up too much so he only got the accessories I deemed useful. The link below is an online album of his latest photos.
G is 1
10 By the way, I "found" my iPhone. I believe it was returned by the person who I suspect took it from my bag. Details in a later post.

11 Perhaps the highlight of my 2009 is Big Bear Adventure Weekend where I Met Someone. I gained new friends and a broader perspective of the gay scene.

Most potently, I met "Andy", the man who knocked on my door and then shut it right back at me in a confounding plot twist.

Nevertheless, it was the most magical moment of my life thus far. It was also the most out-of-control I have ever been in my entire life. I do not regret any second of it.

If I could do it all over again, I would change nothing, except perhaps the part that we didn't consummate.

If I could do it all over again, I will take him; I will possess him; I will alter the very fabric of his being, even for just one fleeting moment, or two. And in so doing, I would have also altered mine.

But, of course, that's mere illusion by now. You can't turn back time and do something undone in that same space-time continuum.

My friends ask, "What'll you do if you see him again?"

"I think I'll say 'Hi'".

"After what he did to you?"

I didn't answer. I kept silent. But deep inside I said, "Why not? It's over. It's all water under the bridge now. It was what it was. At least I had something that I saw as beautiful. It's a precious piece of memory no one can take away."

12 Finally, although I submitted myself to public humiliation by posting a not very flattering topless picture, I haven't really gone far in terms of losing weight and building up.

There were ups and downs in my struggle to achieve an ideal weight and build up muscle but I always end up on square one. Time to "move it" in 2010. :)

All in all, 2009 was a great year. Many thanks to the many people who were part of my life in 2009.

18 comments:

  1. "Wow, brilliant, topless pic? Where!!!! ;D"

    - Jerome TeCube
    Mon, February 1, 2010 2:18:47 PM

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  2. Jerome! You naughty boy. :) Well, if you really want to indulge, click on the link for "Glancing Backward, Looking Forward". Warning: It's not a pretty sight. :D!

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  3. "i love the introspection, instead of the resolutions. because it's only by looking over our shoulder can we see how far we've truly gone. love you, piet! all the best in 2010!"

    - ClaireMichelle R Hernandez
    Mon, February 1, 2010 4:15:26 PM

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  4. Miss Yel! Isa dapat kong resolution for 2010 is be active again in FB. I've been missing out on your updates dahil sa ka-busyhan ng buhay. Tengks for keeping in tats. :)

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  5. It's not bad at all. ;D

    - Jerome TeCube
    Mon, February 1, 2010 6:59 PM

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  6. "hi Cousin, Looks like you had a good 2009. Wishing you a more better and exciting 2010. Take care."

    - Shani Yan Lim
    Mon, February 1, 2010 10:07:12 PM

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  7. We missed you @ MOA. :( Kala namin alam mo & you just couldn't be there. Let us know when you're in the US. We need to catch up on lost time.

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  8. "oo nga eh. =( I agree, we need to catch up on lost time. It may take a few more years before I go back there. Steven and I wanted to take the kids with us on our next flight there. Pag medio malaki na sila at d ko na kailangan mag dala ng maraming gamit. hehehe.."

    - Shani Yan Lim
    Mon, February 1, 2010 11:03:53 PM

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  9. "matibayun ka man kuya pete! igwa ka baya na mga roro-recap man ngaya adi. matibay ka talaga beeg boy mag surat-surat. surat-surat!

    maray man ta napapa-practice mo ang broad comm mo adi... bata bako man madali maging matibay magsurat ki mga artikil. hikhik."

    Candy Yan Jadie
    Mon, February 8, 2010 5:52:07 AM

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  10. Tangks!

    Tingk yow!

    Uy, tengk yu, haaa!

    Hakhakhak!

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  11. "Well done, Petes. Thank you for sharing with us! I'm in the process of finally trying to convince myself that I should blog more frequently. When I see posts like this, it is just so inspiring! Thanks for that too."

    Bernie Aguirre
    Mon, February 8, 2010 9:24:32 AM

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  12. In contrast, BAggy, I'm trying to push myself to make time for snapping pix. I've been out of touch on that hobby of mine. And photos like the ones you take serve as my motivation. (,")

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  13. "I love the posts. Thanks for sharing it. I love the vantage point of the shot you did with Lino."

    Judy Jadie
    Tue, February 9, 2010 8:05:43 PM

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  14. Hona ko kun sisay na Lino. Si Angelino palan. Hakhakhak. Napindot mo gayod su L imbes na G. Eyniwey...uy, tengk yu, haaa! :D!

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  15. "well said... now, if only I can have your gift on writing so eloquently....:)"

    Mahra Espinas-Chan
    Tue, February 9, 2010 8:08:55 PM

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  16. Yes you can! Start by writing something, anything. 1x/wk, or even 1x a mo @ first, then gradually increase frequency.

    Aram mo kan grade school, napatalsik ako sa journalism club coz I didn't produce anything in one whole sem. :)) So everyone starts somewhere, some time. You could be...now! (,")

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  17. "hey pete tnx sa pasalubong ha, it really fits well gwapohon ako pag sulot ko hehehe.....dae lamang kita nag irilingan bayae sana madyan ako saimo sa L.A. HEHE"

    Cristopher Aguilar Detera
    Thu, February 11, 2010 7:30:24 PM

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  18. welcome, padi. iyo baga, an nahiling ko sana si tess. let me know pag yaon ka digdi.

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