9th January, 2005
10 am
Brunei

Dear Self,

I am going to be in the Philippines for 3 weeks. In that span of time, I shall eat as much as a I want, ranging from Japanese food to nachos and I will enjoy myself.

I will not go over my budget and will only purchase the following:

BOOKS
Two Skirts
As many shirts as I can
A pair of heels
A bag
A jacket
A pair of Jeans

Signed,
Izzah


17th January 2005
9 pm
Philippines
Dear Self

Tis getting harder and harder to keep selfs earlier resolution especially as I am faced with the appallingly affordable items on hand, due to my Brunei currency exchange rate, my generous grandmother, uncles, assorted relatives, friends, godmothers (ninangs) and yes, my own mother.

I shall increase purchase of items since they are ever so generous. If I didnt spend, it would be very rude of me.

Its only polite, after all.

Signed,
Izzah


28th January 2005
3 pm
Brunei

Dear Self,

Unpacking my suitcases and boxes, I am ashamed to say I didnt MEAN to buy them, but must have somehow UNCONSCIOUSLY managed to have amassed the following:

Please forgive me, self!

- a blue hoodie jacket I adore!!!! <3
- ridiculously exp Nike running shoes- my 1st branded running shoes! *SNIFF*
- a full line of makeup ranging from eyeliners to foundation to lipstuff of every kind, mascara (lengthening AND waterproof) and even a cute lil bag to keep them all in!
- hair products from VO5 hot oil treatment to Citre Shine to Mane Hair Conditioner to numerous other hair suches.
- face and body creams and washes and the like
- two beauteous bags!!!
- two watches
- at least ten tops
- plus one skirt! see! ONE skirt!
- chandelier earrings
- a basketball. what?!
- socks of all kinds!
- underwear! pretty underwear!
- bras! pretty bras!
- purses
- nails and hand and foot stuff
- accessories

Now, self, before you scold me, please note that all these were bought unconsciously! They were just too pretty to turn down. Please note that I didnt buy any expensive jeans! Instead I was good and bought no jeans nor books!

I believe a pair of expensive jeans and books covers the cost of other items and we shall overlook my overexpenditure and lack of savings and be extra stingy and cheap when it comes to the new school year!

Also, the amount of money I blew on food must NOT be taken into account. Nor the amount of money I spent going to Eastwood, Glorietta, Tagaytay *insert name of place here*. *nod*

Yes! I shall scrimp and save to make up for my total blowing of my budget in 3 weeks. It can very much be done!

Unless of course I see something else worth buying....Thats only on a very important occasion, of course.

Im just kidding, self.

Signed,
Izzah

and I wanted us to be the ones that poets wrote their books about

So, life's been good so far. I'll be leaving tomorrow for the Philippines for about 3 weeks, yay, so my blog will be on semi hiatus till then!! Im excited. Its something about visiting your homw country, but still feeling very much the foreigner that instills the fear in me, I guess, but Im defnitely excited.

Most of us are too pampered in brunei, and why shouldnt we be? No major problems exist here, really. Its safe, unpolluted, small circles of influence, no real need to commute..

And well, the Philippines should be a mind and eye opener for me. Whoot!

Wish me fun on my trip!!!

In the year 2005 I resolve to: Become anti-social. Get your resolution here

*smirk*

Right.

It's been a long December and there's reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can't remember all the times I tried to tell my myself
To hold on to these moments as they pass

-Counting Crows 'Long December'

Enjoy the new year everyone. It can be a new beginning, and at the same time, an ending of habits past. Made mistakes? Thats okay. LISTEN to me. THATS OKAY. As this wise person said:

“You have a right to experiment with your life. You will make mistakes. And they are right too.” ~Anais Nin

You'd think that it being 2005 already that there would be some sort of climax, some explosion or implosion to justify, nay, to surpass the thrill of expectations that ran through each of our veins as we awaited patiently, maybe with a dash of annoyance thrown in, the coming of the new year, and the closing of the last one.

I felt no explosion.

So this is the new year
and I don't feel any different

the clanking of crystal
explosions off in the distance
in the distance...

so this is the new year
and I have no resolution

it's self-assigned penance?
for problems with easy solutions

so everybody put your best suit or dress on
let's make believe that we are wealthy for just this once
lighting firecrackers off on the front lawn
as thirty dialogues bleed into one
I wish the world was flat like the old days
so I could travel just by folding the map
no more airplanes or speed-trains or freeways
there'd be no distance that could hold us back

there'd be no distance that could hold us back
there'd be no distance that could hold us back

so this is the new year
so this is the new year
so this is the new year
so this is the new year
-Deathcab for cutie

I felt no explosion.

Because Im hoping that 2005 will be the explosion, mind blowing explosion that I know we're all, including myself, hungering for.

Happy..nay, have a fantastic new year, everyone.