Quiet celebration

Welcoming this new year quietly was not something we've planned on doing, but it just fell into place. After all these years that we've lived in Sydney we were either in the city or at a friend's place watching the fireworks live, or at our place watching the fireworks from our balcony.

Last night we celebrated quietly. And, I actually enjoyed it. We planned on cooking a nice, scrumptious dinner. However, we had a super late lunch at 5PM. So, we ended up having a quick dinner at 10PM with the little girl with us. Just leftovers from our big NYE lunch. With the mud cake to cap it all off. Then we watched the fireworks on telly. Ahhh, relaxed life.

I am one who usually would love to have people over for a celebration, or organise something at a restaurant. I surprised myself by not itching to have people at our place. (Well, well, we had a big Christmas eve last week anyway!!).

Sometimes, these quiet celebrations mean much more than a loud one. Occasionally we need to have this rest, so we can enjoy our louder celebrations later on. I'm sure next year when the little one is almost three years old, we would celebrate it loudly. For now, let's enjoy the peace.

Happy new year's everyone! I hope everyone celebrated the way they want to... safely and in the presence of the ones that matter most in your life.

NOTE: Photo above from http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/national/12476862/sydney-welcomes-2012-with-a-bang/

Switching careers

I know I have said a number of times before about juggling both my careers as a travel agent and a migration agent. Sometimes I think if I should choose one and leave the other. However, part of me wants to do both at the same time. But I know I can't, because in the end one of which would suffer. Is it time to let go of the travel industry to be able to help others in their Australian dream, and concentrate being a migration agent? I have been busy trying to immerse myself in the migration business by subscribing to industry newsletters and even social media such as Twitter (makes me think if I should subscribe to Heavy Construction Academy Twitter ) and Facebook.

The past couple of weeks I have been watching about refugee migrants into Australia. It makes me ponder about how I could have a more meaningful career in migration. I know I haven't really got much experience at all for now, but I would really want to touch other people's lives one day.

The coming new year brings about this new fire and energy in me in pursuing something worth my while. I hope I am able to maintain this attitude and be able to follow through with this. Soon, I really hope.

Sydney gets its first O2 bar

(Photo from here but image by: Glenda Kwek)

It's been a couple of months now since Sydney opened it's doors to the first Oxygen Bar! It's called Oxygen Bar Oxygen Station. I haven't tried this one myself yet, but I'm sure I would try it out the next time I have a visitor around. Although I am not quite sure how long the bar would last (just like the Ice Bar which was around Sydney a couple of years ago - but closed down). But then again, it is I think only meant to be around until end of July 2012.

The Oxygen Session costs about $1 for every minute which allows you a maximum of 15 minutes. I remember the last asthma episode my little girl had she was given an oxygen mask which really quite helped the quality of oxygen she breathed. I suppose this was pretty much the same effect that one could get at the bar. Obviously in a more relax and happier atmosphere with friends.

If you find yourself with 15 minutes and $15 to spare, I guess a visit to this place would be beneficial (well to most people anyway).

O2 BAR - Sydney

Shop FF08, Level 2
Harbourside Shopping Centre
Darling Harbour NSW 2000

Visiting the Queen

A couple of weeks ago I sold a tour to a family to go travelling around Europe, with the grand final stop to Visit London. It was such a fun experience organising a big trip for a family with four teenagers! Although initially the head of the family advised me that they were on a tight budget (of course) given that there were six adults travelling for a month! I wish I had done the same thing with my parents when we were younger. We probably would have booked ourselves in London apartments and a few nights in holiday cottages in countryside UK, since me and my sisters were fans of the movie the Holiday!

Come to think of it, I've only ever travelled to Europe with my sister. I wish we are able to go on a holiday to Europe (or anywhere) with my whole family. That would be so much fun, especially now that there are four grandchildren! My little one is the only female grandchild so I wish one of my other siblings would have a girl next time (or maybe me!).

2011 Christmas Day sunrise

As with most of my getaways, I woke up early to catch Christmas day sunrise down at Terrigal.
We were billeted at the Crowne Plaza Terrigal, and loved that we actually got upgraded to an Ocean View! (Thank God for Platinum membership!)

I just love sunrises

Red, pink, blue hues

I am amazed

Sunrise brings about

A certain glow

Literally too

But I mean

More

Exciting day ahead

Is what it's about

Tomorrow another one

To sight.

New Years resolution again?

It's been a while since I actually thought about making a new year's resolution and actually keeping it. In my younger years I would try to come up with one weeks before the struck midnight on the 31st. I usually end up keeping it for a couple of weeks and then forgetting about it.

This year, I want to make an actual goal/s. Not just a one time big time resolution up in the air.

Some of the goals I am thinking of are:

1. Empty my work and personal inboxes!!!

2. Get rid of the clutter (old baby things and my old used clothes!)

3. Organise my filing cabinet, research on valuables insurance. (I suppose I can ask my aunt in the UK who's recently organised her home insurances!)

4. Delete mobile phone messages!

Do you keep a new year's resolution? How long do you manage to stay on it?

Mobile phones and Me

I for one am a self confessed un-"techie" person. Unlike my husband who is always on top of the newest gadget in town, whether through research or having on hand the newest phone or whatnot. In my lifetime I've only probably owned 3 phones wherein I was the first owner. I would not change my phone ever if I had my way. However hubby nags me about these things when he sees how old my phone has become, or when I ogle at the new Iphone but never plan to change it.

My current phone is an Iphone 3GS model, which replaced my lost Iphone 2GS model. It is still quite serving it's purpose albeit the old, haggard look with matching screen scratches. Hubby was trying to convince me to get the new Blackberry since I use my phone for work (check emails, take calls, etc.). But since being introduced to the Apple range of mobile phone products, I have loved the brand and how it works. The last time I felt this way was with my Nokia phone which I loved for half a decade! Though, since I've found a website http://www.geekalerts.com/ which has a lot of great deals, I might snag myself a new phone and use these Apple coupons Apple coupons which I have come across. Perhaps 3 years with my current phone is enough?

All Christmassy

I'm so glad I have a few family members here with me at this time of the year! It will be their first Christmas away from Manila and initially we had a discussion whether to spend Christmas Eve dinner at a hotel near our place. We opted to just celebrate at home and invite a few other people. So now my sister and I are busy preparing the Christmas dinner menu! We've got about 3 appetizers, 12 main dishes(!) and 5 desserts. Not bad for a dinner of 15 people. :) We've been shopping everyday for little things and trinkets... tinsels, candy canes, tissue holders, tablecloths, etc. We're even figuring out where to place the food, which table to use for the desserts, the music to play.... The list goes on and on..

Oh, to think we are going out of town soon thereafter!! That's another thing to be excited about. My little family's last out of town was... last year! Same time, Christmas. And I just have been itching to leave town. I just hope that it won't be raining. In the past month we've had at least 20 days of rain. :X Oh well I'm sure rain or shine we'd be having a blaaaaaaaaast! So excited and loving Christmastime!

Traveling back

Today I was talking to a friend, and somewhere along the conversation we ended up talking about the past. The what ifs, and other things. Sometimes we cannot really help but wonder about what our life would have been if we had taken a different path. It doesn't mean we want to change our present, but just like anyone else we wonder... Hmm.. Would we have done things any other way? Or, would we have chosen another career? What could we have done more of, better of? I guess the only thing I might have done otherwise is travel more. I don't think I would have opted for a singles holiday, but I wouldn't have minded to try traveling on my own. Perhaps gone on an adventure holiday of some sort. Or maybe even, gone on a working holiday around Europe, taken a gap year or two just to travel, travel and travel.

Once, before hubby and I got married, I wanted to go on a short trip away. Just me. I guess I wasn't that much of a risk taker, because I didn't pursue that. It was all just in my head to travel on my own. I am thinking out loud now and asking myself if my daughter when she turns 18 if I would allow her to travel on her own, or even go on a working holiday overseas ... if I should let her? I guess I wouldn't really have much of a choice though. If I keep her back she'd miss out on big experiences in life that would mold her into her future self.

Should I have just gone and travelled back then? Maybe.